Join the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council on Oct. 31 for our biannual community Recycle Drop-Off event. The Recycling Drop-Off event provides an essential service to our community because it enables participants to responsibly recycle hard-to-recycle materials, including mattresses, batteries and electronics.

Many of the items accepted at the Recycling Drop-Off event are not otherwise able to be recycled in Routt or Moffat counties, so it’s an important way to keep materials out of the landfill and keep materials in motion, so that they are made into new products. 

For those who have attended the Recycling Drop-Off event in the past, note that there are changes to this year’s event due to COVID-19 precautions. Mainly, fewer materials will be accepted.

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This year, the Sustainability Council will only be taking electronics, batteries, lightbulbs, freon appliances, books and mattresses. Even though the event has been scaled back, it is still important to recycle these items. At the Recycling Drop-Off last fall, these items alone accounted for 17 tons of materials being diverted from the landfill and recycled into new products. This also prevented 23.93 tons of greenhouse gasses being emitted. 

The residential drop-off is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 31, and businesses can drop off from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Businesses planning to attend are requested to RSVP by emailing madison@yvsc.org. 

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Electronics will be accepted at the Meadows Parking Lot. Mattresses, batteries, lightbulbs, books and freon appliances will be collected at the Upper Knoll Lot. Visit yvsc.org/recyclingdropoff for a full list of items accepted, fees, payment methods, maps and COVID-19 precautions. 

To make this community service event as safe as possible, plan for the following:

• All attendees and staff are required to wear face coverings throughout the duration of the event. 
• Drop-off customers should remain in their cars throughout the event. Sustainability Council staff and event volunteers will help unload materials. 
• We will be limiting the number of cars in the venue at one time. Be patient if you experience slightly increased wait times.  

If you’re going to be out of town for the fall Recycling Drop-Off, don’t worry. The Yampa Valley Recycles app will help you find recycling options for hard-to-recycle items that you can responsibly recycle throughout the year locally, including electronics, paint, appliances and more. Download the app for free at yampavalleyrecycles.org.

We are still seeking volunteers for this event. If you would like to volunteer, visit yvsc.org/volunteer, or contact Madison, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council waste diversion director, at madison@yvsc.org or 970-871-9299, ext. 107. 

Thank you to our recycling partners, sponsors and community volunteers who help make this Recycling Drop-Off the success it is each year. This event would not be possible without their support.

Remember that this event also relies on donations to help support waste hauling fees and other expenses. Consider donating  generously to enable this community tradition of resource conservation to thrive moving forward.  

Thank you for recycling right and fighting climate change with the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council.

Madison Muxworthy is the waste diversion director for the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council.