The City of Longmont knows that there is a need to work with its residents to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill. The solutions to this problem include the “Pay as You Throw” program, the 21-day Challenge, curbside recycling and composting bins and the Waste Diversion Center. Longmont now offers three levels of trash collection for residents to tailor size their waste needs and spread out service costs more proportionately based on usage.
The city began offering curbside pickup for both recycling and composting. These services were offered in an attempt to divert materials from the landfill. “When we send less to the landfill through recycling and composting, we prolong the landfill’s useful life and delay the challenge and expense of building a new one.” In addition to giving all residents the opportunity to recycle, the Waste Diversion Center offers a place for all residents to dispose of items that are not accepted in curbside recycling and compost.
“Longmont is entering a new era in solid waste management. The goal is twofold, encourage waste reduction (send less stuff to the landfill) and provide more equitable rates for service,” says Kamenides. He offers a guess that without recycling and composting services, the amount of waste going into the landfill would possibly be double the amount that it is today.
In April, according to Kamenides, Waste Services had created a 21-day challenge to encourage residents to think about waste and how they dispose of it. Although it’s ended, it’s a challenge open to anyone anytime. “I encourage everyone to rethink what they put in the trash container. We all can find ways to practically incorporate the ideals of reduce, reuse, recycle and compost into our routines. Also, residents can get connected with our “Tips and Tricks” blog to learn about ways send less to the landfill and put more to good use. https://www.longmontcolorado.
Read the full story at https://longmontobserver.org/city/longmont-is-entering-a-new-era-in-solid-waste-management/.