Mesa County Solid Waste Management has earned national recognition for putting waste paint to use in operating the Mesa County Landfill.
Mesa County Solid Waste Management was among the recipients of program innovation awards presented by the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association at its national conference in Florida. The award recognizes innovations in hazardous household materials and waste management.
鈥淭his is big for us. We are one of three entities awarded in Colorado. It puts our state on the map and shows the Western Slope is not lacking in innovation within our respected industries,鈥� said Barrett Jensen, director of Mesa County Solid Waste Management. 鈥淚t is a great achievement, and it took every person in the solid waste management team to make it happen.鈥�
In 2013, Mesa County Solid Waste Management discovered that latex paint collected at the hazardous household waste facility could be mixed with commercial spray slurry and used as an alternative daily cover at the landfill. The daily cover is applied atop a day鈥檚 accumulation of waste to prevent the interaction between the waste and the air, reducing odors and creating a firm base upon which vehicles can drive. Moreover, waste paint is used at the landfill rather than shipped away for recycling or disposal.
The Mesa County Landfill was the first in Colorado to use waste latex paint as daily cover.
鈥淟ast year the hazardous household waste facility provided the landfill approximately 3,800 gallons of waste latex paint and saved about $11,300 in disposal fees,鈥� Jensen said. 鈥淭he use of waste latex paint in the alternative daily cover process has proved to be a success and cost savings for the landfill and hazardous household waste facility.鈥�
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