Recycle Right
Myth: My recycling is buried in the landfill.
Fact: The landfill does not trash your recyclables. Keeping recyclables out of the landfill helps the facility prolong its life and is highly encouraged by landfill staff. The solid waste center is a transfer station for our recyclables.
- What can I recycle?
- Where can I recycle?
- Who do I contact?
- What plastics can I recycle?
- Where can I recycle plastic bags?
- Electronics, Lightbulbs, Batteries
Wish-cycling is the practice of recycling items that you wish, or hope, are recyclable but are not. Putting materials in the recycling bin that are not acceptable can lead everything to be landfilled.
Only these items are accepted in single-stream recycling. If an item is not listed, it is not recyclable.
- Pitkin County Solid Waste Center is the hub for all your recycling needs.
- Residential recycling. If you pay for trash service, you pay for recycling (including cardboard). Contact your hauler for assistance.
- Yard waste, clothing, household batteries, glass bottles, and scrap metal can be recycled at the Rio Grande Recycle Center.
The City of Aspen does not offer waste services. Please contact your waste hauler. Every hauler must include charges for recycling services within their trash fees, even when recycling services are not being used per the City's Recycling Ordinance (PDF).
For general recycling questions, email waste@aspen.gov.
Only specific plastics can be recycled in Aspen. The arrow and numbers on the bottom a container does not indicate its recyclability.
The only plastics accepted for recycling in Aspen are:
- bottles
- tubs
- jugs
- jars
NO plastic take-out containers, coffee cups, berry containers, or black plastics.
Plastic bag recycling is now offered at City Hall! You can find the receptacle on the first floor of the building. Plastic bags and plastic film are a tricky material to recycle and require specialized processing. This flimsy material should never go in the single stream recycling. Join the community in reaching a goal of 500lbs of recycle plastic film over the next 6 month. For more information on where and how the plastic is recycled, visit: https://nextrex.com/view/educate
What can be recycled?
- plastic grocery bags
- bread bags
- produce bags
- bubble wrap and plastic shipping envelopes
- dry cleaning bags
- newspaper sleeves
- ice bags
- Ziploc and other closable food storage bags
- case over-rap from things like paper towels and cases of water
Household Hazardous Waste is not trash and must be taken to the Pitkin County Landfill for safe disposal. Do not put these materials in your curb side recycling.
This includes products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive substances such as the following:
- Batteries
- Electronic Waste including cell phones, computers, and monitors.
- Smoke detectors
- Cleaners, Solvents, Paints and Stains
- Thermostats, CFLs (Devices that contain mercury)
- Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Insecticides
- Motor Oils and Fuels