In an effort to incentivize recycling, the Summit County government will be implementing a volume-based pricing mechanism for trash collection. The Summit Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the second reading of an ordinance to begin implementing the pay-as-you-throw program.
Solid waste director Aaron Byrne told the commissioners that the initiative aims to increase the diversion rate of recyclables to extend the lifespan of the landfill, which is currently estimated to be full by 2078 鈥淭hat may seem like a long time out, but it鈥檚 not,鈥� Byrne said. 鈥淲ith the incoming waste, everything that we have going on at (the landfill), our diversion goals, currently right now, we鈥檙e at 20-21% diversion. So with any type of diversion program, such as pay-as-you-throw, that鈥檚 going to move the needle and that adds life to the only landfill we have in Summit County.鈥�
The pay-as-you-throw program, which has already been implemented in Frisco and Breckenridge, aims to increase the diversion rate to closer to 40%. The ordinance requires licensed trash haulers to provide three size options for curbside waste bins for customers in unincorporated parts of the county, which includes neighborhoods like Dillon Valley and Summit Cove.