Celebrate endings for they bring new beginnings. With those inspirational words in mind, it is the end of an era for glass at Canyonlands Solid Waste Authority (CSWA). Beginning July 1, 2024, glass will be removed from our single-stream recycling services. So, why is CSWA removing glass after all these years? The answer is more complicated than you might think.

Before we delve into the meat of this decision, let’s go back to the basics. What is single-stream recycling in the first place, what other kinds of recycling are there, and why is this important? Single-stream recycling (also known as commingled recycling) is a system in which all recyclables, including old corrugated cardboard (OCC), aluminum cans, certain types of plastic, etc., are placed in a single bin or cart for recycling. These recyclables are collected by a single truck and taken to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to be sorted and sold.

Source-separated recycling requires a little bit more elbow grease. Individuals bring their recyclables, sorted rather than mixed, and place them in specifically labeled bins. This method greatly reduces the level of contamination and increases the quality of the recycled product but takes more physical effort. Once sorted, these recyclables are shipped off to manufacturers and re-made into new materials. CSWA offers the opportunity for source-separate glass recycling at the Community Recycle Center (1000 Sand Flats Rd).

Now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s explore why CSWA made this critical decision. Simply put: Grand County was the last place in the entire state of Utah to accept glass in its single-stream recycling services. Not to mention that the MRF in Salt Lake City that accepts CSWA’s single-stream was consistently tagging our shipments for high levels of contamination. The main culprit? Glass.

Glass breaks. It shatters. It imbeds itself into softer materials like paper and OCC rendering them useless (aka straight to a landfill). With this in mind, plus wear and tear on machinery that transports and processes single-stream, CSWA felt that removing glass was the smart decision.

Now that the final glass curtain has fallen – what now? Those with single-stream recycling services will receive a notice with a 30-day grace period to begin removing glass as well as a brand new decal for their carts reminding folks what is acceptable and what is not. In the mean time, CSWA is working tirelessly to provide more alternatives to glass recycling in Grand County and its surrounding communities.

We invite you to raise your glasses (pun intended) to a new chapter in responsible waste management and a more sustainable future for all!