In a new Erase the Waste Program, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council is asking community members to take a pledge to keep glass out of the trash. 

The Sustainability Council is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to educate Yampa Valley residents on waste diversion. 

Each month the program will focus on one waste reduction area by outlining easy steps everyone can take to improve waste reduction both at home and in office spaces. 

---

---

This month the Sustainability Council is featuring glass items because glass recycling is unique in Colorado. The process for recycling every type of item can look different, but for glass, Colorado has a closed-loop system. 

That means that glass is collected, processed and transformed into new products without leaving the state. According to YVSC, keeping the entire process in state has economic and environmental benefits, meaning it lowers emissions from transportation and contributes to the local economy.

---

---

Although Moffat County doesn’t currently have a recycling program for residents to drop off recyclables, there are still options for anyone who wants to recycle.

Twin Enviro accepts residentially accumulated recyclables at its processing site in Milner. Residential customers can drop off recyclables at no charge, and there is a small fee for non-customers based on the amount being dropped off. 

Most types of glass can be recycled, including soda, beer, wine and other drink bottles. Pickle, jelly, sauce and baby food jars, as well as any clear, blue, green and brown bottles, are also recyclable. 

All glass items must be rinsed to remove any food or drink residue in order to be recycled. Otherwise, one contaminated item could contaminate a whole batch of materials. 

Other glass products including windows, ovenware, lightbulbs, Pyrex and crystal can only be recycled through special programs, so they can’t be recycled through residential recycling streams. 

Glass containers are 100% recyclable, meaning that used glass can be recycled over and over again.

To take the pledge to keep glass out of the trash, visit http://www.erasethewasteco.com/home/#pledge or email Winn Cowman at winn.cowman@yvsc.org for more information.