How did this come about? Information about the Residential Trash & Recycling Public Process
In the fall of 2017, the Town Board of Trustees identified three main objectives that they hoped to achieve by making changes to the way municipal solid waste was handled in Carbondale. The three objectives are:
• Regulations protecting bears and other wildlife
• Waste diversion and managing our waste stream
• Addressing the number of trucks on the road
Following the development of the three main objectives, to help guide future discussions and provide needed waste hauling industry information, the Town enlisted the help of a consultant with expertise in waste hauling and waste diversion. The consultant was able to provide valuable data related to trash composition, recycling, best practices, volumetric pricing and other industry-specific data which was used throughout the public process.
Since the fall of 2017, this topic has been discussed at 15 different Town Board meetings. During this process public input was solicited at a number of events around town including the Farmer’s Market, First Friday, and an open-house meeting at Town Hall. Various forms of media were also used to inform the public and solicit their input including: Facebook, newspaper ads and articles, radio interviews and information on the Town’s website. In addition, the website also included an on-line survey that was taken by over 100 people. Several written surveys were submitted as well.
Based on the discussions at the Board meetings, public input and input from the waste haulers who serve Carbondale, the Board decided to move toward a system where residential waste hauling services are provided through a town-administered contract. The first step in that process was to solicit requests for proposals (RFP) for this service. On January 4, 2019 the Town released the RFP, and two companies, Mountain Waste & Recycling and Waste Management provided proposals for the work before the February 22, 2019, deadline.
Staff reviewed the two proposals and both proposals were determined to meet the requirements of the RFP. After considerable review, staff recommended that the Board award the contract for residential trash and recycling to Mountain Waste & Recycling. This item was placed on the agenda for the meeting on March 19, 2019, and the Board did award the contract to Mountain Waste & Recycling.
Over the next several months, staff will be working with Mountain Waste & Recycling to implement the new contract. This will involve producing informational materials that will be distributed to customers explaining the available service levels so that they can choose the appropriate service during the service selection period between June 1 and June 30, 2019. During this time, staff will also be working to develop on-line forms that can be used during the service selection process.
Who does the new residential trash and recycling contract affect?
This contract covers all single-family and multi-family less than eight (8) units within the Town limits.
How will the billing work for the new residential trash and recycling service?
Billing for trash and recycling will be included on your monthly Town water & waste water utility bill.
Under the new residential trash and recycling contract, will I have options on the size of my trash and recycling containers?
The contract has four (4) trash container options: Super Saver, Small, Medium and Large. You will also be able to choose between Medium and Large recycling containers. You can also choose a wildlife resistant container if you want one. For more information on container sizes and pricing, see the FAQ at the bottom of this webpage entitled, "Residential Trash and Recycling Service Levels and PRICING."
How do I sign up? How do I let the Town know what service I want?
Can I "opt-out" of the new residential trash and recycling service?
You have the option to choose a different hauler, but you will still have a charge on your utility bill for the Town’s residential trash and recycling service.
Is recycling included in the cost, or will that be an additional charge?
Recycling is included in the cost of all service levels. There will not be an additional charge for recycling, but it will also not reduce your bill if you choose not to use it.
How do I pick the right size? The less you waste, the less you spend.
THE LESS YOU WASTE, THE LESS YOU SPEND!
When choosing the appropriate trash service level for your home, consider this, "In 2015, a limited study was done on 'trash' being disposed of at the Pitkin County Landfill. The results showed that 58% of the contents of the 'trash' could have been diverted through recycling and composting."

This means you have the potential to divert much of your generated waste by:
Recycling:
Properly recycling items can reduce you amount of 'trash' by up to 26%. This not only includes placing glass bottles, metal cans, plastic containers, paper and cardboard in your curbside bin, but also utilizing special collection events and services at local landfills. Special recycling opportunities include collections for batteries, electronics, paints, mattresses, textiles, books and other items. Thrift stores may also accept gently used items for resale.
The Town provides special recycling opportunities at our Spring Cleanup every spring and our Household Hazardous Waste event in the fall of odd numbered years. Contact local landfills, Pitkin County and South Canyon, for information on their on-going special recycling opportunities.
Composting:
Residents can compost food and yard waste through backyard composting, or EverGreen ZeroWaste and Mountain Waste have the ability to collect a more extensive list of organic materials with their curbside compost collection programs for individual homes and multi-family units.
For residential yard waste, the Town will continue to provide large containers at 4th St & Colorado Ave each autumn to accept lawn trimmings, leaves and branches. Beginning next year, the Town will extend the dates for those yard waste containers to be available May through November. Christmas tree mulching will remain available in January and the Spring Cleanup event will continue to accept yard waste for composting.
Do I need to have a bear-proof container?
TOC Ordinance No. 6, 2019
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO AMENDING CHAPTER 7, ARTICLE 3 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE REGARDING RESIDENTIAL TRASH AND RECYCLABLES COLLECTION
What is the Town's policy on personally-owned Bear Proof containers?
Residential Trash and Recycling Service Levels and PRICING
Residential Trash and Recycling Service Levels and Pricing
All service levels include recycling. The customer can choose between Medium and Large recycling levels.
If the lid on either the trash or recycling container is not closed all the way on your collection day, or if you have material outside of the container, a minimum $25.00 fee per incident may be assessed to your monthly billing.

Trash Service Levels
Super Saver: The Super Saver is equivalent to half of the Small service level. It would accommodate approximately two (2) tall kitchen garbage bags every two weeks. The contractor will provide a 32-gallon trash container that will be picked up every-other week.
Small: The Small service level would be able to accommodate approximately two (2) tall kitchen garbage bags every week. The contractor will provide a 32-gallon trash container that will be picked up every week.
Medium: The Medium service level would be able to accommodate approximately five (5) tall kitchen garbage bags every week. The contractor will provide a 64-gallon container that will be picked up every week.
Large: The Large service level would be able to accommodate approximately seven (7) tall kitchen garbage bags every week. The contractor will provide a 96-gallon container that will be picked up every week.
Recycling Service Levels
Medium: The Medium recycling service level is a 64-gallon recycling container or up to four (4) 18-gallon totes collected every-other week.
Large: The Large recycling service level is a 96-gallon container or up to six (6) 18-gallon totes collected every-other week.
Wildlife Resistant Containers
Wildlife resistant containers will be available for all service levels. Since wildlife resistant containers are only available in 64 and 96-gallon sizes, wildlife resistant Super Saver service level will be a 64-gallon container collected once per month and the wildlife resistant Small service level will be a 64-gallon container collected every-other week.
Extra Trash and Recycling Containers
Additional medium and large trash and recycling containers are available, but to get an additional container, the customer must first be at the Large service level for the type of extra container they want (i.e. extra trash only available to customers with Large trash service, extra recycling only available to customers with Large recycling service)
Pricing
The chart below shows pricing for the different trash, recycling and wildlife resistant service levels. The chart also shows pricing for additional trash and recycling containers as well as dumpsters for multi-family units.
Description
|
Town Charge
|
10101
|
Super Saver Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$15.66
|
10102
|
Super Saver Trash with Large Recycle
|
$18.05
|
10103
|
Small Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$19.16
|
10104
|
Small Trash with Large Recycle
|
$22.35
|
10105
|
Medium with Medium Recycle
|
$34.48
|
10106
|
Medium Trash with Large Recycle
|
$40.22
|
10107
|
Large Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$51.22
|
10108
|
Large Trash with Large Recycle
|
$58.33
|
10109
|
Wildlife Super Saver Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$28.97
|
10110
|
Wildlife Super Saver Trash with Large Recycle
|
$31.35
|
10111
|
Wildlife Small Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$32.45
|
10112
|
Wildlife Small Trash with Large Recycle
|
$35.66
|
10113
|
Wildlife Medium Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$47.79
|
10114
|
Wildlife Medium Trash with Large Recycle
|
$53.53
|
10115
|
Wildlife Large Trash with Medium Recycle
|
$64.52
|
10116
|
Wildlife Large with Large Recycle
|
$71.64
|
10117
|
Super Saver Trash with Large Recycle + Medium Recycle
|
$34.00
|
10118
|
Small Trash with Large Recycle + Medium Recycle
|
$38.31
|
10119
|
Medium Trash with Large Recycle + Medium Recycle
|
$56.18
|
10120
|
Large Trash with Medium Recycle + Medium Trash
|
$67.18
|
10121
|
Large with Large Recycle +Medium Trash or Medium Recycle
|
$74.29
|
10122
|
Wildlife Super Saver Trash with Large Recycle + Medium Recycle
|
$47.01
|
10123
|
Wildlife Small Trash with Large Recycle + Medium Recycling
|
$51.32
|
10124
|
Wildlife Medium Trash with Large Recycle + Medium Recycle
|
$69.19
|
10125
|
Wildlife Large with Medium Recycle +Medium Trash
|
$80.18
|
10126
|
Wildlife Large with Large Recycle +Medium Trash or Medium Recycle
|
$87.60
|
10127
|
Super Saver Trash with Large Recycle +Large Recycle
|
$37.63
|
10128
|
Small Trash with Large Recycle + Large Recycle
|
$41.93
|
10129
|
Medium Trash with Large Recycle + Large Recycle
|
$59.80
|
10130
|
Large Trash with Medium Recycle + Large Trash
|
$71.17
|
10131
|
Large with Large Recycle + Large Trash or Large Recycle
|
$78.29
|
10132
|
Wildlife Super Saver Trash with Large Recycle + Large Recycle
|
$50.93
|
10133
|
Wildlife Small Trash with Large Recycle + Large Recycle
|
$55.24
|
10134
|
Wildlife Medium Trash with Large Recycle + Large Recycle
|
$73.11
|
10135
|
Wildlife Large with Medium Recycle + Large Trash
|
$84.48
|
10136
|
Wildlife Large with Large Recycle + Large Trash or Large Recycle
|
$91.59
|
Please choose the container size appropriate to your location and needs.
If the lid on either the trash or recycling container is not closed all the way on your collection day, or if you have material outside of the container, a minimum $25.00 fee per incident may be assessed to your monthly billing.