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Recycle Utah

Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

  • About
    • Our Impact
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    • Financial Statements
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    • Materials Accepted
    • Where Does My Material Go?
    • Remote Glass Recycling Bins
    • Thrift Store
    • Rain Barrels
    • Moving Materials for Sale
    • Self Serve Paper Shredder
    • Recycling Bin Rentals
    • CSA Pick Up
    • Community Trash Cleanups
    • Composting
    • Curbside Recycling
    • Household Hazardous Waste
      • Medicine Disposal
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#zerowaste

Recycling the Small Stuff

July 30, 2025 by director@recycleutah.org

We at Recycle Utah often get questions about the small stuff. The caps? Lids? Corks? Small bath products? First, keep in mind that products need to be pure. If it’s made of mixed materials, it’s often not recyclable. Additionally, all materials need to be 90% clean of any residue – food, grease, etc. Lids can stay on plastic bottles and be recycled through curbside service or Recycle Utah.

Though, there’s a good chance the lid will pop off when bailed and may be swept aside into the landfill pile at the Salt Lake City recycling facility. Recycle Utah has designated containers for small plastics, corks, and metal caps to assure recyclability of small items. Metals are important to recycle as they consistently have market value – and recycling metals is less energy intensive than converting the raw material of ore into a new metal.

Try compacting foil pieces, yogurt covers, and more into a tennis ball-sized mass or save them in a sealed metal can. Metal products are often mixed with plastic – consider that the item needs to be at least 70% metal to be recyclable at Recycle Utah.

Now the bathroom, an open door to creative alternatives! First, how can you reduce? If your product is disposable, is there a sustainable and non-plastic replacement, such as washable wipes, glass or metal containers, toothpaste tabs, or bulk buys? Recycle Utah accepts toothbrushes and toothpaste containers, a program with Colgate and Terracycle. To learn more about all the products accepted, recycled, and diverted from the landfill, visit our website at recycleutah.org.

By Mary Closser

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials Tagged With: #greentips, #recycle utah, #recycling, #sustainability, #zero waste, #zerowaste

Farmers Markets

July 17, 2025 by director@recycleutah.org

Park City offers a great Mountain Farmers Market every Wednesday from 11AM-5PM at the Park City Mountain First Time Lift parking lot! Beginning on May 28th, the Farmers Market is a great way to connect with your local community this summer. Come by and see all the great things the Park City Farmers Market has to offer!

Here are couple of reasons Farmers Markets are a great, sustainable way to do your summer grocery shopping:

Decreased transportation costs: Because the produce and local goods bought at Farmers Markets typically come from your local community, there is significantly less shipping and handling associated with getting the produce from the farmer, to the distributor, to the grocery store, and onto your plate! This means less packaging, less greenhouse gas pollution from transportation, and fresher produce right from your community.

Supports local economy: Farmers only receive about 15 cents to the dollar when produce is
sold through conventional grocery store outlets. When farmers sell through farmers markets,
they can make significantly more profit on their own products. Buying locally is a great way to
support your local economy–$68 out of $100 stays in your community when buying locally, as
compared to $42 out of $100 when purchasing from a national chain.

Purchase in bulk: It is often easier (and encouraged!) to purchase produce in bulk at farmers markets rather than the grocery store. Because produce at farmers markets is typically not pre-packaged, you get to hand-pick the amount of produce you want to purchase prior to it being bagged for you. This is a great way to reduce packaging waste in your household!

Connect with local community and neighbors: Farmers Markets are a great way to meet or
catch up with community members you may not get to see regularly.

Park City’s farmers market, set upon a beautiful mountain landscape, is visited by many members of the Summit County community. Come by and shop local farmers’ produce, local cooks’ creations, local artwork, and hear from local non-profits working on different issues!

By Mia Moore

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials, Thriving Community & Equity Tagged With: #energy efficiency, #greentips, #recycle utah, #recycling, #sustainability, #water conservation, #zero waste, #zerowaste

How Important is Organic?

July 16, 2025 by director@recycleutah.org

Is eating organically grown food actually beneficial? The answer is yes. In most cases, eating organic food is healthier, though not always the most economical. But what does organic really mean? In a farming sense, organically grown means food was not grown using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and was not genetically modified (GMO’s).

While these processes often make farming more efficient and inexpensive, the chemicals and radiation used can have harmful effects on consumers. It’s simply a trade-off between cost and quality when it comes to buying organic for most families in America. Some of the benefits of eating organic include:
● Avoiding the consumption of harmful synthetic pesticides and herbicides found in conventional farming. which can result in short- and long-term health problems.
● Buying organic helps the environment, because food grown with excessive chemical fertilizers and pesticides can pollute the surrounding soil and water, even creating chemical run-off that implicates nearby residents.
● Avoiding greenhouse gas emissions from nitrous oxide, commonly found in conventional fertilizers.

Keep in mind, all conventionally grown foods that are sold in the US are grown with the necessary safety standards. Additionally, equal amounts of micronutrients are generally found in both types of produce.

However, to be extra cautious, it is always a good idea to wash your produce (no matter how it was grown) before you consume it to get rid of dirt and any pesticide residue. Check out the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen on Environmental Working Groups (ewg.org). A few of the ‘dirtier’, more important foods to buy as organic are strawberries, kale and cherries while some of the ‘cleaner’ foods are pineapples, avocados, and onions. If you’re looking to include more organic produce in your diet, now is a great time! The PC Farmer’s Market, every Wednesday at Park City Mountain, includes many local and organic options to choose from.

By Grayson Rae

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials Tagged With: #energy efficiency, #greentips, #recycle utah, #recycling, #sustainability, #zero waste, #zerowaste

The Magic of Electronics Recycling!

July 2, 2025 by director@recycleutah.org

A few weeks ago, we toured METech, the facility where Recycle Utah sends all collected electronics. METech is an R2v3-certified recycler, meaning it meets the highest standards in electronics recycling: maximizing material recovery and ensuring all data is securely wiped from devices.

Recycle Utah’s electronics are stored until there’s enough to haul to METech’s Salt Lake City facility. There, items are weighed and sorted—especially those containing data storage, which are securely wiped. Most materials are then baled and shipped to their central hub in Gilroy, California.

At the Gilroy facility, motherboards are carefully dismantled by machines that recover valuable metals like gold, palladium, and platinum, separating them for reuse in new electronics. Other devices are shredded and sorted using magnets and eddy currents to recover metal, plastic, and glass. These materials are then sent to manufacturers who use them in products like laptop covers, new electronics, and more.

What surprised me most was the sheer volume—and variety—of items they receive and dismantle for recyclable parts. I even picked up a leather cushion, assuming it was landfill-bound, only to learn it was headed to a leather recycler! That level of detail made it clear that METech is committed to recovering everything possible, beyond just items with a plug or battery. We’re lucky to have one of their facilities so close. Across the U.S., many electronics are trucked hundreds of miles to reach facilities like this.

The EPA estimates that almost 3 million tons of electronics go into U.S. landfills every year. Recycling electronics keeps hazardous materials out of the landfill, and arguably more importantly, lets us reuse valuable non-renewable resources like precious metals, whose extraction is damaging ecosystems, polluting air and water, and causing human rights crises across the globe. 

Seeing METech in action gave me real hope. When done right, electronics recycling truly can close the loop—and we all play a role by choosing to recycle responsibly.

By Chelsea Hafer

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials Tagged With: #greentips, #recycle utah, #recycling, #sustainability, #zero waste, #zerowaste

Don’t Let Sunburns or Harmful Chemicals Ruin Your Summer: Safe & Sustainable Sunscreen

June 25, 2025 by director@recycleutah.org

With so many sunscreen options out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed—but not all of them live up to their claims. Some still contain outdated or harmful ingredients. Luckily, growing awareness has pushed the industry toward safer, more effective ingredients. However, it’s still important to be fully informed when purchasing sunscreen and know what to look out for when shopping.

Mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are now top picks for broad-spectrum protection. They’re generally gentler, reef-safe, and FDA-recognized as effective. 

Meanwhile, ingredients like oxybenzone and Vitamin A are being phased out due to health and environmental concerns—both are worth avoiding. Avoid sunscreens containing “fragrance” as an ingredient; these undisclosed blends can include allergens or hormone-disrupting compounds, and without transparency, it’s hard to know what you’re putting on your skin.

Spray sunscreens remain a favorite for convenience, but they come with risks—like inhalation hazards and uneven coverage, especially in windy conditions. Some countries have even issued warnings against them, while the FDA continues to delay safety regulations for aerosol products. 

Don’t be fooled by ultra-high SPF numbers. Anything above SPF 50 adds minimal protection and can lead to overexposure if you’re not reapplying. Some high-SPF products even use “boosters” that may make skin look protected without actually blocking long-term damage. The safest option is to reapply regularly.

If you’re interested in checking your sunscreen for all these variables, the Environmental Working Group’s annual sunscreen guide has assessed over 2,000 SPF products for safety and effectiveness. You can find a list of fully approved sunscreens and more information at ewg.org.

In summary, opt for mineral sunscreens, avoid fragrances, choose lotion over spray, and reapply often. Stay safe this summer by choosing a sunscreen you trust, use, and apply often!

By Chelsea Hafer

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials Tagged With: #greentips, #recycle utah, #recycling, #sustainability, #zero waste, #zerowaste

Utah’s Water Crisis

June 11, 2025 by director@recycleutah.org

Utah is the second driest state in the U.S., with a rare closed water system where northern Utah’s water recycles through the Great Salt Lake (GSL) instead of flowing to the ocean. This water cycle, along with our unique basin geography, is what gives Utah “The Greatest Snow on Earth”.

Much of Utah’s water comes from mountain snowmelt. In Salt Lake City, about 45% of snowmelt runoff is diverted into the water system—80% of which goes to agriculture, and almost half used solely for growing alfalfa. Alfalfa, a crop fed to cows and other livestock, grows quickly and has high yields, but it also uses a lot of water. This water diversion is the major contributor to the GSL shrinking more with each passing year.

As the lake dries, toxic metals like arsenic and mercury from the lakebed become airborne, threatening the health of people up to 500 miles away. If trends continue, the GSL could dry up within a decade.

In the past, the state government has offered few incentives for farmers to switch to water-saving farming methods. However, in 2020, the Department of Agriculture introduced the Water Optimization Program, which has distributed $65 million in grants for farmers to implement water-saving measures. The program is in its early stages, and most scientists agree that immediate, more drastic measures must be taken to stop the shrinking of the GSL and reduce Utah’s drought risk. However, with public support and increased funding, the program could make a huge difference.

To learn how to save water at home, visit the Utah DNR Water Conservation Website. For info on GSL advocacy, go to GrowTheFlowUtah.org or SaveOurGreatSaltLake.org.

Data sourced from the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

By Mia Moore

Filed Under: Water Tagged With: #greentips, #recycle utah, #recycling, #sustainability, #water conservation, #zero waste, #zerowaste

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  • About
    ▼
    • Our Impact
    • Staff
    • Job Opportunities
    • Financial Statements
  • Services
    ▼
    • Materials Accepted
    • Where Does My Material Go?
    • Remote Glass Recycling Bins
    • Thrift Store
    • Rain Barrels
    • Moving Materials for Sale
    • Self Serve Paper Shredder
    • Recycling Bin Rentals
    • CSA Pick Up
    • Community Trash Cleanups
    • Composting
    • Curbside Recycling
    • Household Hazardous Waste
      ▼
      • Medicine Disposal
  • Education
    ▼
    • Elementary & Adult Education
    • Green Business Program
    • Latinx Outreach
    • Blog
  • Support
    ▼
    • Rehome Recycle Utah
    • Donate Now
    • Sponsor a Bin
    • Volunteer
    • Shop and Donate
    • Donate Your Car
    • 2024 Supporters
  • Events