JACKSON, Wyo. — This year, Teton County celebrates its 35th year of public recycling. Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling (ISWR) is challenging the community to mark the occasion by stepping up its recycling game.
Outlined in a blog post on its website, ISWR has a big but achievable goal: 35% waste diversion in the 35th year of recycling. Through this challenge, ISWR is asking residents, businesses and visitors to help “move the needle” toward a more sustainable future.
“For a few years now, we’ve been hovering around 30% of the valley’s divertables making it out of the trash and into the recycling stream,” said ISWR Superintendent Becky Kiefer. “By working together and making a few intentional changes, we can reach 35% this year and build momentum for Teton County’s long-term Road to Zero Waste goal of 60%.”
According to ISWR, a study of Teton County’s garbage identified the “3 C’s” as areas that can be improved: cans, cardboard and compost. These materials are easy to recycle yet still make up a significant portion of the local landfill.
- Aluminum and steel cans are infinitely recyclable. Currently, Jackson is capturing just 16% of aluminum cans and 15% of steel and tin food cans. ISWR estimates that 366 tons of aluminum and 90 tons of steel cans go to the landfill per year.
- Corrugated cardboard can receive up to seven more lifespans as new products when recycled. Teton County recovers almost 50% of its corrugated cardboard through a collection program for local businesses, but more than 4 million pounds end up in the landfill each year.
- Food waste can be turned into compost and soil through a Teton County public-private partnership. The county has residential and business drop-off programs for food scraps, as well as Curb to Compost, which is a commercial food waste collection service. Currently, about 8 million pounds of food waste that could be composted is sent to the landfill every year.
“Cans and corrugated cardboard are valuable materials in the recycling world,” said Cindy Harger, Teton County waste diversion outreach specialist. “They bring in money, which helps offset the cost of Jackson’s community recycling programs. And more importantly, recycling saves a considerable amount of energy, natural resources, trees and pollution compared to manufacturing them from scratch.”
There are eight recycling sites throughout the county, including three in downtown Jackson and the Recycling Center on Adams Canyon Drive.
“Small actions lead to big results,” Kiefer said. “We hope the community will help make 2025 a banner year for recycling, composting and wasting less in Jackson Hole — one can, one box, one apple core at a time.”
