Background
Telluride Municipal Code Title 7, "Refuse" sets the parameters for trash and recycling within Telluride. It directs persons producing refuse to provide for the collection and disposal of that refuse in ways compatible with local and state law. It includes authority for the Town Manager to negotiate a refuse and/or recyclable material collection and disposal contract on behalf of the Town. It has a proviso for an opt-out of Town provided trash services, sets mandatory recycling charges and exempts qualified senior citizens from costs for services.
Trash & Recycling Services
The Town provides residential trash collection and disposal services by contract with an independent provider (currently Bruin Waste Management, 970-864-7531). The Town acts as collection agent for fees paid by Town residents through their bi-monthly service bills. There is an opt-out process available for residents who wish to enter into a private contract with either the Town's contractor or another contractor. If you chose to opt-out of the town contract, your utility account will be charged with a minimum fee each month. Commercial trash collection and disposal is provided by private contract.
Customers purchase a bear resistant polycart container (64-gallon or 96-gallon) for their trash from the provider. The 96-gallon polycarts may also be purchased from the ACE Hardware store in Telluride. Customers are charged extra for trash placed outside of containers.
Residential and commercial trash and recycling service is provided once weekly; on Wednesday's for addresses West of Pine Street and on Thursday's East of Pine Street. Collection is provided at the alley in most cases. Polycarts and recycling container(s) should be placed at the edge of your property in the morning by 8am and removed by 6pm.
The Town offers curbside recycling for both residential and commercial units. Recycling costs are a part of your residential trash bill and depend upon the number and size of recycling containers requested and the contract bid price. Customers may chose an independent recycling provider but you will still be charged a minimum fee by the Town on your utility bill.
96-gallon polycarts are available for co-mingled or paper recycling for commercial establishments. Dumpsters are available for larger quantities of corrugated cardboard products. Please note, for cardboard to be recycled it can not be contaminated with food waste.
Click Here for a copy of the Telluride Residential Curbside Recycling guidelines.
Recycling Instructions: The Town encourages recycling. Below is information to make your recycling simple and effective:
Wash all recyclables and comingle your glass, cans and #1-6 plastics together in your bin. Crushing your cans and plastics will give you more room in your bin. Put copy paper, newsprint, magazines, envelopes, junk mail, and paperboard on top of these products.
Contact Lita Bilotti at 728-8415 or email at lbilotti@telluride-co.gov with questions.
The following recycling materials CAN BE COMBINED in one bin:
Glass - rinsed; all bottle types combined, no lids. No windows, ceramics, Pyrex or tempered glass.
Cans - rinsed; aluminum cans, tin cans and metal lids.
Plastics - rinsed; all plastics #1-6 are accepted at this time (as of 3/1/10). No # 7's. If there is no number it is not recyclable.
The following products are fibrous and must be placed on top of the comingled products listed above:
Paper - Combine newsprint, newspaper inserts, copy paper, magazines, envelopes (with or without windows) and junk mail. (Sorry, no fluorescent-colored copy paper or sticky notes).
Paperboard (unwaxed) - Cereal boxes, cracker boxes, pasta boxes; place on top of the paper recyclables. (Sorry, no 6-pack cartons or juice containers).
Corrugated cardboard (ridged, unwaxed) - Break down cartons and place under the recycle bin. Up to 6 pieces are acceptable each week. Call 728-8415 for large quantities of cardboard, which will be charged at $12.00/yard.
Bruin Waste Management will provide one blue recycling bin to each residential customer. If these bins are lost, damaged or stolen, the resident is responsible for purchasing a replacement. Products must be placed in the bins for pickup.
Call Bruin at 970-864-7531 to request an additional or replacement bin.
THANK YOU FOR RECYCLING!
Trash & Recycling Fee Schedule:
Residential 96-gal trash, 1 recycle bin $32.00/month
Residential 64-gal trash, 1 recycle bin $29.75/month
Residential recycling only (private trash contract) $15.58/month
Commercial 18-gal recycling bin $ 8.25/month
Commercial 96-gal recycling polycart $ 18.90/month
Commercial 3-yard cardboard dumpster (1 pickup/week) $ 60.27/month
Commercial 3-yard cardboard dumpster (2 pickups/week) $128.54/month
LIVING WITH BEARS
Telluride is located in the middle of prime bear habitat and the number of bears venturing into town in search of food is increasing. Residents are encouraged to help bears stay wild by making human garbage unavailable to them. Please avoid leaving garbage out that could attract bears to your residence such as table scraps, fish wrappers and remains, grease, fruit rinds, egg shells, pet food or anything sweet. The following tips can help avoid bear-human contacts:
- Double-bag trash tightly to eliminate odors
- Rinse recycling bottles and cans
- Do not leave food in your vehicle
- Utilize trash compactors and garbage disposals for "wet" garbage (food scraps)
- Do not leave pet food or barbecue grills in your yard
- Hang bird feeders very high and away from decks and porches
- Purchase an animal-resistant polycart for ~$250.00 or lease one from Bruin for $3.50/month.
- If possible, don't put out "wet" garbage until the day of pick-up
The Town of Telluride encourages all citizens to take the above precautions with their trash and help save a bear's life.