Teton Valley, ID Community Recycling Celebrates 10 Years of Comprehensive Waste Diversion Plan

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): In 2014, Tanya Anderson put together 101 pages of a comprehensive plan to divert waste for Teton County. At the time, she held the role of the Teton Valley Community Recycling Executive Director and the diverted waste was below 20% for the county. Over the past ten years, this non-profit in conjunction with RAD Curbside Recycling and the Teton County Solid Waste Transfer station helped kick the diverted waste percentage to 37% and saved taxpayers $3.2 million from being trucked away in waste.

“The intention of [the comprehensive plan] was to provide research-based goals to the county to drive some of the decisions made by county commissioners—made by public works—with the ultimate goal of diverting waste in Teton County. Diverting waste means keeping trash out of the landfill and doing something else with it,” said Current TVCR Executive Molly Nash.

Diversion rate was lower than 20% before the plan was written. With a growing community, to keep that same level of recycling and even increase it to 37% is impressive. The county has seen the amount of waste nearly double, with a huge percentage of building materials coming in with the construction boom. Nash explained that the non-profit and the other two entities act as a trifecta that allows for successful recycling within the county. Anderson explained how it was imperative to have the three entities very invested in the cause. The year after the plan was written, RAD won the bid for the county curbside pick up.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com