Recycling

"Get Down and Dirty" Composting and Gardening Festival

If you missed the Composting and Garden Festival this year, you may view and download presentations given at the festival here.

Event Overview (1.5 mb pdf) ->>
Festival Details ->>

Re-Cycle Your Bicycle

Working in conjuction with FC Bikes and Bike Fort Collins, the volunteer-run FC Bicycle Co-Op is located at 222 Laporte Avenue (484-3804). The Bike Co-Op refurbishes bikes for individuals and families who are financially challenged and also conducts an Earn-a-Bike program for at risk youths and adults. FC Bike Co-op volunteers also maintain the fleet of bikes in the FC Bike Library. Bicycles that cannot be refurbished are recycled, including all scrap metal (at Aragon Iron and Metal) and tires and tubes (at New Belgium Brewing Company).

Thanks for re-cycling! Learn more ->>

2008 Residential Environmental Program Series

Now in its 21st year, this year's Residential Environmental Program Series offers a record 13 programs on a range of topics, including energy efficiency, water conservation, composting, transportation, and more. All programs are held at the Fort Collins Senior Center. As always, these programs are free and open to the public, no RSVP inecessary.

Upcoming Programs:

• Home Composting Seminar (learn more about the first Compost Festival at the Gardens on Spring Creek, Saturday, May 3)
  Wednesday, Apr 30th (700-900p)
• Xeriscape by Design
  Wednesday, May 7th (700-900p)
• Plant Select®: Varieties for Colorado
  Wednesday, May 21st (700-900p)
• Watering with Conservation in Mind
  Wednesday, Jun 4th (700-900p)

Can't make a program? Check the series website for more information about Cable 14 scheduling and options for on-demand, streaming video for select programs. Learn more ->>

New Community Exchange Website launched

The Fort Collins Community Exchange recently launched as an on-line bulletin board where citizens can get rid of their gently used goods and materials through barter, for free, or in exchange for other items. For example, one category space is reserved for gardeners who want to exchange plants, seeds, materials, ideas, advice, and even home-grown produce. Other categories include a moving-box exchange, a book exchange, and a building materials / tools exchange.

Community organizers and businesses are invited to post announcements and calendar events to the Fort Collins Community Exchange. Users are able to personalize their profile, attach documents, and send private messages to other community members without utilizing their own email. Learn more ->>

Other exchange type websites include: Leaf Exchange, Compost Worm Exchange and FreeCycle.

Recycling 101

Your guide to basic recycling information. Confused about what can be recycled at your curbside? Do you know where the free City Recycling Drop-Off Facility is located? Recycling 101 (3 mb pdf) is all about helping you recycle.

CFL Recycling.

Replacing traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) is an easy way to make your home more energy efficient and save money on your utility bill. Modern CFLs are available in numerous styles, produce great light, and last much longer than standard bulbs. CFLs do contain small amounts of mercury, however, so residents are encouraged to handle bulbs properly should they break (pdf) and to recycle expired CFLs instead of throwing them out with the trash. The Larimer County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility accepts CFLs for recycling from residents at no charge. Learn more ->>

Buy and Donate Reusable Building Materials at ReSource.

Upwards of 30% of our community waste stream is comprised of C&D (construction and demolition) materials, much of which can be recovered and reused. ReSource accepts tax-deductible donations of used and recovered building materials and sells them back to the community at low cost.

Visit the www.resourceyard.org or call 498.9663 (WOOD) for more information. ReSource is located at 1501 North College Ave in Fort Collins, and is open Tuesday - Friday, 10am-6pm and Saturday, 9am-5pm.

Eco-Thrift is "Reuse in action"

Eco-Thrift features pre-owned furniture, clothing and sportswear, outdoor gear, electronics, appliances, furniture, tools, and garden items. The 100% green energy powered store also accepts donations of working used items, providing an alternative to landfilling. Pick-up service is available. For more information call 484.4224 or visit www.eco-thrift.com. The store is located just north of City Hall at 302 N Meldrum St, Fort Collins.

Glass-Only Recycling Pilot Project.

The City of Fort Collins has partnered with Coors Brewing Company and Rocky Mountain Bottling Company to pilot a glass-only collection program at the Rivendell Recycling Drop-Off Center (located at 1702 Riverside Ave, next to Rivendell School). Glass has a much greater recycling value when it is separated from other recyclables.

Want to participate? Simply separate your glass bottles and jars (sorry no light bulbs, cooking glass or plate glass), remove lids (they can be recycled in the commingled bin or in your curbside collection), and place in the special white, glass-only bin at the recycling drop-off center. Residents and businesses are encouraged to participate in this program.

Recycle cardboard and paperboard at the curb!

Fort Collins residents who subscribe to trash and recycling service within city limits may recycle corrugated cardboard (shipping boxes and pizza boxes), brown paper bags, and paperboard (shoe boxes, cereal boxes, paper towel tubes, egg cartons, etc.) at the curb, along with their magazines, junk mail, newspapers, and commingled bottles and cans. General preparation guidelines have been prepared to ensure these materials are collected efficiently. Learn more ->>

City Recycling Drop-off Facility

Fort Collins residents small businesses have a centrally located recycling drop-off site, located at 1702 Riverside, just north of the Rivendell School. The one-acre drop-off site is open year-round to the public during daylight hours. Learn more->>

• How to Prepare Recyclables for the Drop-off (pdf)
• Drop-off center volumes (pdf)
• Map for directions

Fort Collins FreeCycle Network

Think globally, recycle (and reuse) locally. The Freecycle Network is a grassroots materials exchange network. The rules are simple: everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages. The Fort Collins Freecycle Group has over 4,000 active members. Other Northern Colorado groups include Loveland, Greeley and Longmont. Cleaning the garage and can't bear to landfill all that accumulated stuff? Freecycle it!

Streets Crushing Operations Site

Thinking about doing a little foundation work, reconstructing the driveway or just tidying up the yard of old cement chunks? If so, you'll be happy to learn that the City has a program open to the public that will recycle those materials (free) as road-base to go underneath the paving in city streets. Materials accepted include:

• clean fill dirt
• pit run (clean direct and rock mixture)
• bricks
• concrete chuncks (small, clean chunks, no rebar or wire mesh, no wood, other contaminants or excessive dirt)
• clean, broken or milled asphalt

Learn more ->>

The Garbage Garage Education Center

The Larimer County "Garbage Garage" waste education center opened April 26, 2003 and features educational and interactive displays about the problems associated with an overabundance of trash. "Patty Packrat" directs visitors through the Garbage Garage, starting with the Mountain of Trash and from there you can choose from a variety of exits into areas depicting various methods of handling waste: reducing, reusing and recycling or landfilling. Enter the kitchen/garage area to learn what household hazardous wastes are and how to safely handle them.

The Garbage Garage is located at the Larimer County Landfill, 5887 S. Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins. The center sits just north of the recycling bins. For more information, visit the Larimer County website or call 498-5772.