For as well-meaning as most recycling junkies can be, the extra effort to make the world a better place can be confusing to those less-practiced.
Don Frei, owner of Northern Colorado Disposal, said the key to recycling well is education.
The Environmental Protection Agency has collected data on the country’s generation and disposal of waste for more than 30 years, finding that although waste levels have increased by the tons, the number of disposal options besides landfills has, as well.
In 2015, Americans generated 262.4 million tons of waste, 25.8 percent of which was recycled, or 67.8 million tons. Paper and paperboard accounted for about 67 percent of all recyclables, and about 12 percent were metals.
Northern Colorado Disposal has two options for residents wanting to recycle: bi-weekly curbside pick up and a drop-off center in Greeley.
Both options encompass mostly the same recyclables, except for glass, for now.
Though Northern Colorado Disposal is not accepting glass in curbside recycling, Frei said through a trial program with Clear Intentions, a Denver-based glass recycling processor, residents can drop off glass at the recycling facility, 14902 Weld County Road 64, during business hours. He wasn’t sure how long the trial, which started about a month ago, would last.
Frei said the company is not accepting glass curbside because it becomes a contaminant in single-stream recycling, filling other recyclables with minuscule shards that can’t be processed.
Frei said the second hardest part of beginning to recycle is remembering to.
“A lot of it’s just getting in the habit,” Frei said. “You’ve got to train yourself.”
And if you live with others, like your family, you have to train them, too. Frei said kids often get confused about the recycling rules.
Frei has owned Northern Colorado Disposal for 27 years, starting it with his wife, Carole, in 1991. He said his family has been in the garbage business “all our lives,” and he opened the recycling facility in 2010.
The drop-off bins are separated into paper, co-mangled and cardboard/corrugated cardboard bins. Co-mangled is a combination bin of plastics and metals.
Frei said the success of the recycling industry depends largely on the cooperation of customers. Recyclables his company collects are taken to a Waste Management facility in Larimer County, where there’s a battle raging against contaminations, or trash.
Frei said if the boxes of recycling his semitrailers haul there even look like they’re considerably contaminated with items that aren’t recycling, his company can be fined up to $175 per ton. He said the trucks carry about 8 tons of recycling per load, creating a possible fine of $1,400 per truck.
There are many other waste removal companies that offer recycling services, such as Evans-based Bunting Disposal, and the information required for each can be overwhelming. Luckily for Weld residents, the Weld County Department of Public Health & Environment created a recycling guide. Even it bears a disclaimer: “Due to constant changes in recycling markets, we strongly encourage you to call the listed businesses ahead of time.”
Aluminum Cans
Andersen's Sales & Salvage (970) 352-7797, 1490 E. 8th St., Greeley
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley
Martin Supply, Inc. (970) 686-2460 8405 US Hwy. 34, Windsor
Aluminum Foil
Andersen's Sales & Salvage, (970) 352-7797, 1490 E. 8th St., Greeley
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley
Appliances
Andersen's Sales & Salvage, (970) 352-7797, 1490 E. 8th St., Greeley
Martin Supply, Inc., (970) 686-2460, 8405 U.S. 34, Windsor
For appliances that contain Freon, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioning units, the Freon must be removed by a certified Freon remover before it can be taken to one of the above recyclers.
Auto & Other Batteries
Andersen's Sales & Salvage, (970) 352-7797, 1490 E. 8th St., Greeley (auto batteries only)
Hensley Battery & Electric, (970) 353-2327, 200 22nd St., Greeley (auto, computer, cordless phones, nickel-cadmium)
Martin Supply Inc., (970) 686-2460, 8405 U.S. 34, Windsor
Weld County Household Hazardous Waste Program:
North Site: (970) 304-6415 ext. 2233, 1311 N. 17th Ave., Greeley
South Site: (720) 652-4200 ext. 2233, 5500 Hwy. 52, Dacono
Cell Phones
Weld County Household Hazardous Waste Program:
North Site: (970) 304-6415 ext. 2233, 1311 N. 17th Ave., Greeley
South Site: (720) 652-4200 ext. 2233, 5500 Hwy. 52, Dacono
ACE Hardware of Greeley:
(970) 353-2851, 3540 10th St.,
(970) 378-0801, 2626 A 11th Ave.
Schaefer Enterprises, (970) 353-0662, 500 26th St., Greeley
Concrete
Bucklen Enterprises, (970) 353-0720, 804 N. 25th Ave., Greeley
Corrugated Cardboard & Paperboard
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley
Electronics
Schaefer Enterprises, (970) 353-0662, 500 26th St., Greeley (excluding television or computer monitors)
Best Buy, (970) 392-4139, 4210 CenterPlace Drive, Greeley
Glass Jars & Bottles
Food and beverage containers only
Currently not accepting glass
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley
Household Hazardous Waste
Paint, pesticides, fertilizers, flammables, aerosols, fluorescent bulbs, poisons and more
Weld County Household Hazardous Waste Program:
North Site: (970) 304-6415 ext. 2233, 1311 N. 17th Ave., Greeley
South Site: (720) 652-4200 ext. 2233, 5500 Hwy. 52, Dacono
Medicines
Good Day Pharmacy (will not accept controlled substances or injectables):
(970) 350-2413, 1900 16th St., Greeley
(970) 454-2110, 180 S. Elm Ave., Eaton
(970) 587-1128, 201 Johnstown Center Drive, Johnstown
National Take Back Initiative: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback
If the above options are unavailable, medications from private households can be thrown away in the regular trash. Remove the medicine from its original packaging, break or crush them and then mix with kitty litter, coffee grounds, dirt, etc., and place in a sealed container or bag before throwing in the trash. Do not dump down the sink or toilet.
Metals
Non-magnetic metals: aluminum, copper, silver, gold, etc.
Andersen's Sales & Salvage, (970) 352-7797, 1490 E. 8th St., Greeley
Martin Supply Inc., (970) 686-2460, 8405 U.S. 34, Windsor (also accepts Iron)
Morey's Glass & Metals Inc., (970) 686-2058, 124 Main St., Windsor
Windsor Wheels for Wishes, (877) 451-9474 (benefitting Make-A-Wish Colorado)
The Grease Monkey:
(970) 353-3376, 2520 8th Ave., Garden City
(970) 304-9850, 5520 10th St., Greeley
(970) 330-5823, 2470 35th Ave. Court, Greeley
Weld County Household Hazardous Waste Program:
North Site: (970) 304-6415 ext. 2233, 1311 N. 17th Ave., Greeley
South Site: (720) 652-4200 ext. 2233, 5500 Hwy. 52, Dacono
Newspaper
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley
Office Paper
(white & pastel computer or copy paper)
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley (magazines, junk mail, catalogs and phone books)
Plastics
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley (plastic bottles, jugs and jars #1-#7)
Plastic Grocery Bags
Weld Food Bank (970) 356-2199, 1108 H St., Greeley (also will take plastic and paper dozen-size egg cartons)
Walmart Supercenter:
(970) 353-4809, 920 47th Ave., Greeley
(970) 330-1452, 3103 23rd Ave., Greeley
Most local grocery stores have plastic bag recycling bins
Styrofoam Packing "Peanuts"
Consider It There, (970) 352-9334, 813 8th St., Greeley
UPS:
(970) 353-9655, 3620 10th St., Greeley
(970) 351-6505, 2519 11th Ave., Greeley
Tin Cans
Northern Colorado Disposal, (970) 353-4090, 59th Avenue and O Street, Greeley
Tires
Big O Tires, (970) 330-8115, 3325 23rd Ave., Greeley
Agfinity, (970) 339-5040, 1641 2nd St., Greeley
J & D's Tire Factory, (970) 353-4003, 3018 10th St., Greeley
Courtesy : www.greeleytribune.com