Tips on Recycling after Christmas fun (and Trash Pickup)
Wrapping Paper:
BOULDER RECYLING says that you should COMPOST your Christmas wrapping paper, and toss out any with โFOILโ in or on them. โ none are recyclable.
Any 100% aluminum foil, that is cleaned, should be rolled up into a ball, and put in the recycle bin. Do not throw in small or flat pieces.
Cardboard boxes — Lyons Recycling Center has a special bin just for cardboard. Please make sure it is clean — no stains, food, grease, etc. This is one item that is “wanted” by recyclers!
Books:
Hard-bound books cannot be recycled, but paperbacks can.
For books in good condition: You can also try the book resale shops in Longmont that will give you credit for a new book; or put them in one of our many Little Libraries on town streets. The Friends of the Library collect books, but they must be popular, in good condition, and a limited number of books donated at one time.
Styrofoam:
Hard foam sheets are collected every few months by Lyons Diversion Team. Watch our calendar, or get on the Town’s email newsletter list to get notification. (They also collect scrap metal).
NOTE: Lyons collects HARD SHEETS of Styrofoam. Store them in your garage until Diversion Day!
#6 Blocks are accepted at the Longmont and Boulder facilities.
All other foam products (like meal containers) are not recyclable.
Some “mail packing companies” accept foam packing and bubble wrap, to recycle.
Glass Bottles: Remember to recycle all those liquor, wine and beer bottles from your Holiday parties. Separate any metal caps from glass bottles. OK to keep plastic caps on plastic bottles.
Holiday Lights: Western Disposal says: Holiday lights can be recycled, but not in your single-stream cart. Bring them to 5880 Butte Mill Road and we’ll recycle them for free. There’s a cart right outside the Administration building! no ID required. Turn in at the 1st driveway on the right and park in guest parking. // CHARM in Boulder County also takes lights. See their web page for more details on items they accept and any costs.
Fireplace Ashes: // Batteries:
A TIP from One-Way Disposal Company:
๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฌ & ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐๐ฌ (๐๐ฌ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ) ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ/๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ!
It could possibly blow your mind how often our trucks catch fire due to restricted materials. Most recently, we had a hidden load of 100+ electronics batteries from lap tops, cell phones, solar panels, etc. Some of the batteries exploded causing the other batteries and other various trash items to ignite in our brand new truck. Fortunately, our driver is ok and the truck doesn’t have any catastrophic damage. Ashes are plenty good at reigniting themselves as well under the right conditions. I’ve even seen customers set their houses on fire by putting ashes into the trash container.
Save up your batteries and take them to the Boulder Recycle Center. See their web page for instructions and costs. (Lithium batteries must have their tips covered with tape.)
Christmas Trees:
The Town of Lyons will NOT be picking up trees, nor have a drop off site for trees.
The Lyons Volunteers will NOT be picking up trees and chipping them.
Western Disposal customers who subscribe to compost service can place their tree out on their compost collection day.ย Trees longer than 6 feet should be cut in half.
One Way Disposal customers: They said that they “can certainly pick up Christmas trees if needed but there are other options depending on where you live.” There would be an additional charge of $5-$12 for them to collect (depending on size) and you’d just need to schedule the pick up in advance with the office.
For Public: Trees can be dropped off for free at the Western Transfer Station beginning Dec. 27 – Jan. 30. Any Boulder County resident can bring their tree to 5880 Butte Mill Rd. They are charged at the yard waste rate which is a little over fifty cents/20lb. So trees typically cost a few dollars. ID required.ย
Farm Animals: There are some public and private homesteads that have farm animals that love to eat the trees. We have put out notices to see if any of them would like to be added to our article. If we get any responses by New Year’s Day, we will add them here.
Remember to remove all ornamentation, tinsel, etc. from trees to be composted.ย ย Wreaths and such decorations should be thrown in the trash.
No Delays in Service
One Way Disposal says: We will not be delaying services for Christmas or New Year’s. All Friday customers will be collected on Friday as regularly scheduled.
Western Disposal says there will be no change in service during the Holidays. Friday service will take place as normal.
==Western’s Transfer Station open December 24 and 31 7 a.m. to noon; and December 25 and January 1: closed
Recycling Reports
Boulder County Resource Conservation Division
December 1st Report:
Boulder County has the best countywide recycling and composting rate in Colorado according to the freshly released 2021 State of Recycling & Composting in Colorado Report published by Eco-Cycle and CoPIRG.
We can attribute this success to universal curbside recycling, volume-based pricing for trash, convenient drop-off and curbside programs for yard debris, strong educational programs, and dedicated staff and funding for waste diversion infrastructure, services, and programs.
Learn more about success stories and opportunities to increase our diversion rates in Boulder County and across the state by reading this report.
http://ecocycle.org/…/2021_State_of_Recycling_and…
In 20 years of operation, the Boulder County Recycling Center has diverted over 915,650 tons of recyclable material from the landfill โ keeping this valuable resource circulating in the economy. Recycling saves energy, protects natural habitats, conserves water and other natural resources, reduces greenhouse gases emissions, creates more jobs, and contributes to a circular economy.
Thank you for recycling in Boulder County!
Boulder County Resource Conservation Division==In 20 years of operation, the Boulder County Recycling Center has diverted over 915,650 tons of recyclable material from the landfill โ keeping this valuable resource circulating in the economy. Recycling saves energy, protects natural habitats, conserves water and other natural resources, reduces greenhouse gases emissions, creates more jobs, and contributes to a circular economy.
Thank you for recycling in Boulder County!
Lyons Recycling Bins are located on 2nd Avenue, across from Bohn Park, and gates close at 7 p.m. REMEMBER Items Must be rinsed and clean! Cardboard goes in a SEPARATE Bin, clearly marked (first one on the left, facing 2nd Avenue).
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