"The Yampa Valley is an open river valley located with Routt and Moffat counties in northwest Colorado. The Yampa Valley refers to the entirety of these two counties, its six incorporated municipalities and numerous towns, from Dinosaur in west Moffat county to Toponas in south Routt County. The area encompasses 7063 square miles and holds an estimated 1997 population of 29,812 people". (The Yampa Valley Partners Community Indicators Project 1999 report).
Yampa Valley Recycles is comprised of a dedicated group of citizens, representing Routt County, concerned with promoting the recycling of solid waste and educating the public on reducing, re-using, and recycling. It is our responsibility and stated goal this coming year to increase community awareness of recycling options in the Yampa Valley in order to increase the total tonnage of solid waste recycled.
In Routt County, Waste Management (WM) is the largest local solid waste and recycling hauler. They provide free residential curbside recycling pickup biweekly within the city limits of Steamboat Springs, including the Steamboat II subdivision, condominium recycling and cardboard recycling for retail businesses for a fee. In Hayden, recycling pickup is offerd biweekly.
WM maintains a Small Materials Facility (SMRF) in Steamboat Springs that houses a City-owned baler. Citizens are allowed to drop off recyclables at the SMRF. Materials accepted include aluminum cans, tin cans, glass, magazines, newspaper, office pack, plastic bottles #1 and #2, and corrugated cardboard. Glass is the only material with a local end use. WM hauls it, free of charge, to the glass crushing facility operated by Connell Resources at their Thompson Gravel Pit. The Governor's Office of energy Conservation assisted in funding both the SMRF and the Glass Crusher.
The landfill in Routt County is located in Milner and is owned and operated by Twin Landfill, Inc. In August 1998, the Board of Routt County Commissioners instituted a tipping fee of $.25/yard, assessed at the landfill, to pay for household hazardous waste collection, to assist local recycling effots, to clean up illegal dumping sites and for maintenance of landfill areas previously operated the the County.
In February 1998, the City of Steamboat Springs passed a resolution adopting a Recycling Policy recommended by Yampa Valley Recycles. In April, 2000, the City of Steamboat Springs passed an ordinance requiring Waste Management to offer residential curbside recycling free of charge.
Moffat County's landfill is municipally owned and operated. They are the solid waste hauler within their county and offer no recycling services. Materials recycled by the private sector include aluminum, scrap metal, and used motor oil.
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