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- New recycling programs are being introduced in Clearfield, Syracuse and Sunset.
- Clearfield residents will automatically join an opt-out green waste program, while Sunset and Syracuse implement mandatory mixed recycling.
- The initiative aims to divert waste from Davis Landfill, with incentives for cities reducing landfill contributions.
CLEARFIELD — New recycling efforts are being rolled out to three cities in north Davis County as part of a recycling program that has been gaining steam since its inception in January 2024.
The recycling initiative was developed to divert waste from the Davis Landfill, which has experienced accelerated filling since the Davis Energy Recovery Facility closed in May 2017.
Clearfield
Residents of Clearfield will be automatically enrolled in a green waste program starting March 14, providing households with green cans to dispose of lawn clippings and compost beginning in May.
"A green waste can is cheaper than a second garbage can," Nathan Rich, executive director of the Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District, told KSL.com. Historically, Rich said, about 50% of residents participate in this kind of program, and "from a tonnage standpoint, it diverts a lot of material" — upwards of 20% of the waste a household might send to the landfill.
According to the Clearfield website, a second trash can costs $16.75 per month, while a green waste can costs $10.50 per month and acts as a regular second trash can from December to March, annually; a recycling can costs $6.50 per month. Residents can opt out before the March 14 deadline, after which they will be charged a $25 cancellation fee.
Syracuse, Sunset and beyond
Sunset has had an optional recycling program, according to Rich, but "participation has kind of lagged over time." Numbers from the waste management district shows the city had a 33% participation rate, but they are now reinvesting in that program, Rich said.
Blue mixed recycling bins are slated to be delivered to Sunset residents no later than July, and everyone will be charged a new bundled rate of $23.65, which just adds a $5.68 per month charge for the bin onto the base rate, according to the city website. The program is mandatory, so those who want to return the bin will still be charged the bundled price.
Syracuse, contracting with the private company Robinson Waste, is also implementing a mandatory bundled package, though slightly cheaper. The city plans to start collecting recycling in April on an every two-weeks schedule.
Morgan city and county governments are also rolling out blue bin recycling bundled programs for $25.50, with bins being delivered to residences between March and May. Morgan city and Syracuse are both recipients of grants from the Recycling Partnership to help fund bins and public education.
Recycling program
The district's initiative to divert as much waste from the Davis landfill has "been very successful," Rich said. "We're seeing a lot of movement."
Rich said the district first saw pushback on the structure of the initiative, which would have penalized municipalities for not implementing "robust recycling programs." They took that feedback and changed the structure to provide incentives-based reductions in the percentage of waste diverted, he said.
As a result, Kaysville and North Salt Lake made changes so they qualified for the incentives, automatically enrolling new residents in recycling programs. Final decisions have not been made, but South Weber and Fruit Heights are in serious discussions of their own.
Davis landfill is projected to remain open for another 18 years with the district transferring a portion of received material to a regional landfill in Tooele County, about 97 miles away from the processing center.
Rich says that these programs will pay off even after the Davis landfill is retired, saving the district money in transport costs.
Residents can find more information on the Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District website, or the website of their specific city. Mail notices have also been sent out to those affected.
