Breckenridge Town Council approved two town ordinances that would establish a pay-as-you-throw system for waste in town. The pay-as-you-throw system is volume-based, meaning that households pay varying rates based on the size of their trash containers. A family that produces less waste would pay less money than a family that produces more, and households can decide what size trash bin they need for weekly pick-up. Currently, everyone pays the same rate, so households that produce less waste subsidize those that produce more, proponents of the pay-as-you-throw system argue.
Staff recommended the two ordinances in order to help reach the town’s goals of 40% landfill diversion by 2032 and 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from waste by 2030. Across the county, the landfill is expected to close by 2056 if no intervention of waste production takes place.
On June 14, the council discussed volume-based trash services and asked staff to come back with a first reading. Town staff presented two ordinances for consideration. The first defines new requirements for haulers. Under the ordinance, residential trash service levels would be established based on the volume of the trash containers provided by the hauler.