KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES

▪ Levels of water & air pollution at the landfill

Waste ▪ Municipal solid waste diversion rate
▪ Amount of landfill space available
▪ Miles waste travels for processing

Desired Outcome: The amount of waste is minimal, and waste management choices protect the
environment. The consumption of material resources and the waste generation that accompanies it
can result in contamination of our air, land and water. Wastes are minimized through diversion and
reuse whenever possible, which maximizes the life of the current landfill while avoiding pollution.
When waste must be disposed, it is done so responsibly.

Learn more about Waste as a key environmental

sustainability theme for the community.

Navigate to view each dashboard measure

 WASTE
Levels of water & air pollution at the landfill
What is it? Why is it important?
Processing Aspen’s waste has potential negative effects on the surrounding environment. The PCSWC opened in 1964¹ and is unlined,
meaning that has the potential to leach pollutants into groundwater as well as into the air. By measuring the levels of air and water
pollution at the PCSWC, Aspen can better manage waste to reduce those impacts on the environment. The City of Aspen manages its
hazardous materials to prevent harmful substances from being added to the landfill. Supporting chemical management practices is
vital to not add harmful substances to the waste stream. Unfortunately, pollution can occur as a result of waste that was buried
decades ago. For example, if a violation were to occur today, it might be because of waste deposited in the 1970s.
What does the data/trend say?
The PCSWC is responsible for reporting environmental impacts to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE).
Air pollution accounts for visible emissions, odor, and disposal of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Seven different groundwater
monitoring wells exist on-site at the PCSWC and are regularly monitored for levels of organic and inorganic compounds. Instances of Household hazardous waste collection
air and groundwater pollution in 2016 are cited below. The facility does have known impacts to groundwater quality on-site and has at the Pitkin County Waste Center.
worked under a corrective measures plan since 2000. This is not groundwater remediation but rather a plan to use best management
practices to minimize on-going and future impacts. There are no known impacts to groundwater quality above the groundwater
standard at or beyond the property boundary.

Figure 2. Strategies to Limit the Pollution Created by Aspen’s Waste

Figure 1. Pitkin County Solid Waste Center:
Compliance or Violation with CDPHE and EPA • Further encourage and/or require proper disposal of electronic waste.
• Further encourage and/or require composting.
Pollution Regulations
• Limit hazardous waste by incentivizing landscapers, property managers, and residents to use
nonharmful treatments and properly dispose of containers.
Type of Pollution Compliant?
Air2 No- lack of permit*
Surface Water3 Yes
Household Hazardous Waste is not Trash!
Groundwater4 Yes HHW includes: Cleaners and Solvents, Motor Oils and Fuels, Paints and Stains, Fertilizers, Pesticides,
and Insecticides, Devices that contain Mercury (Thermostats, CFLs), Batteries.
*Permit has since been submitted and is pending approval. Learn how to properly dispose of HHW near Aspen: https://goo.gl/f8G36Z

Targets & Alerts Data Sourcing & Considerations

The target is that groundwater pollutants and greenhouse gases will remain below Data was sourced from the Director of the Pitkin County Solid Waste Center and from
the CDPHE limits for remediation. Important to note is that the site is in compliance Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.
with all corrective measures stipulated by the CDPHE, which are resulting in positive
remediation.
Sources: [1] 2014 Annual Groundwater Report: Pitkin County Solid Waste Center, Pitkin County, Colorado. Rep. Lakewood, CO: Golder Associates, 2015. Print. [2] [Photo] Johnson, Jack.
 WASTE
Municipal solid waste diversion rate
What is it? Why is it important?
This measure describes the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW), or the everyday waste generated by homes and businesses, is recycled
or composted and therefore prevented from entering the landfill. Burying the minimum possible amount of waste in the landfill is an
essential part of waste management. Recycling, composting and reuse rates show Aspen’s progress towards achieving minimal burial of
municipal solid waste (waste that would go in a trash can, which does not include construction debris).
What does the data/trend say?
In 2017, the Aspen community diverted 27% of its municipal solid waste (MSW) through recycling and composting (Figure 1). This is below
the statewide 2016 diversion MSW diversion rate of 19 percent,¹ but lower than the 2016 national average of 34.6 percent.² Figure 1
diversion rate increases in 2011 and 2012 may be attributable to a decrease in visitor activity in Aspen. Figure 2 shows the results of a trash A waste hauler depositing a compost load
audit, conducted at the PCSWC in 2015. It indicates that 85% of MSW stream is organics, paper, plastics, metals, and glass, most of which at the Pitkin County Landfill.
could be diverted through composting and recycling (though once soiled, some items cannot be recycled). Aspen has ample opportunity to
expand what it diverts to decrease the volume that has to be landfilled. Pitkin County and Aspen are in the midst of developing a Roaring
Fork Valley Comprehensive Waste Diversion Plan.³ This report proposes projects that will dramatically increase diversion of both municipal
solid waste and debris from construction and demolition.
Figure 1. Waste Diversion Rate Figure 2. 2015 Municipal Solid Waste Composition
35%
(by weight)
1.2%
2% Hazardous/Special Residue Glass
30% 0.4% 9%
6% 6% Metals
25% 0.9% 0.7% 4%
1.5%
20% 1.0%
Plastics
15% 29%
25% 25% Organics 19%
10% 19% 21% 36%
13% 14% 16% 15%
5% 11% Paper
0% 20%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

% Recycling % Compost

Targets & Alerts Data Sourcing & Considerations

By 2035, diversion rates in Aspen will be at least 50%. As Diversion rates cannot take into account the substances that residents choose to reuse instead of recycle or
Aspen’s diversion rate in 2017 is estimated at 27%. Note that compost. Figure 1 data is compiled from annual hauler reports, which are self-reported and not verified by an
this target may be reevaluated after the Waste Study is outside source. Haulers base the recycling quantities that they report on number of customers and the volume of
presented to City Council and further direction is given on how their bins. These are the only available source of diversion data and are unfortunately not corroborated for
to proceed. consistency or accuracy.
Sources: [1] Colorado Department of Health & Environment. Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division: 2017 Annual Report to the Colorado General Assembly. 2018.
https://environmentalrecords.colorado.gov/HPRMWebDrawerHM/RecordView/411586. [2]"Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures." EPA. https://www.epa.gov/smm/advancing-sustainable-materials-
management-facts-and-figures Environmental Protection Agency. [Figures 1 and 2 data] Chapman, Liz. [Photo] Menges, Chris. 2015.
 WASTE
Amount of landfill space available
What is it? Why is it important?
Built in 1964, the Pitkin County Landfill is a finite space that is approaching its capacity. When the space is full, Aspen will be forced to
transport trash to other landfills, the closest of which are in Rifle, Eagle, Delta, and the Front Range. By measuring the years of life remaining
on the landfill lifespan, Aspen can gauge the success of diversion efforts and plan for the future.
What does the data/trend say?
As of spring 2018, the Pitkin County Landfill estimates that it has 7.5 years of operation left, an accelerated decrease from the 2017
estimate of 10-11 years.1 This determined by the factors displayed in Figure 1. As these factors change, estimated landfill life will fluctuate.
The Landfill has also developed a proposal, pending approval, to add an expansion (Figure 2) to the landfill to extend its life for approximately The working surface of the Pitkin
5-7 more years,3 and an additional expansion that could add as much as 52 years.4 County Landfill.²

Figure 1. Factors Influencing Landfill Lifespan

Add to Lifespan Reduce Lifespan Proposed Expansion Area

• Reduction in trash volume
• Increased diversion of
reusable, recyclable, and
compostable products
• Increased trash compaction
• Low-volume Spray-on daily
cover*
• Increase in trash volume
• Increase in construction and
demolition debris
• Reduced trash compaction
• High volume daily cover* Current compost processing

Future compost processing

*For health and safety purposes, the working surface of the landfill is covered each
night. The volume of this cover impacts remaining space available.
Figure 2. Pitkin County Landfill
and Proposed Expansion Area

Targets & Alerts Data Sourcing & Considerations

By 2020, the landfill will have at least 15 years of lifespan remaining. This target is not being Estimated Landfill Lifespan was generated by the Pitkin County Landfill, through data
met. Increasing diversion of commercial food waste, yard waste, and construction and they hold in regards to space available, incoming trash, and compaction rate. This is the
demolition debris is essential to helping Aspen reach this target. Policies that limit the only available data of its kind, and has not be evaluated for accuracy by a third party.
addition of material into the landfill, reward reuse, and encourage purchasing with recycled
materials are also vital.
Sources: [1][2][3] Hall, Cathy. Director of the Pitkin County Landfill. 27 Apr. 2017. E-mail. [Figure 1 data][4] Chapman, Liz. 2018 [Figure 2] Courtesy of Pitkin County Solid Waste Center. Hall, Cathy. [Photo] Menges, Chris. 2015.
 WASTE
Miles waste travels for processing
What is it? Why is it important?
This measure compares the distances that Aspen’s various waste types travel in one direction, as well as the number of haulers per waste
type. Managing Aspen’s waste has associated environmental costs, many of which are tied to the transportation of waste, including fuel
consumption, road traffic, and air pollution. These factors take an economic and social toll as well.
What does the data/trend say?
As seen in Figure 1, in 2017, Aspen’s municipal trash, which represented ~20% of the waste stream, and travels either 8 miles to
the Pitkin County Solid Waste Center (PCSWC) or 40 miles to the South Canyon landfill location. Diverted organics for compost (~2
% of waste stream) and some of Aspen’s construction and demolition (C&D) (~80% of the waste stream) also went to the PCSWC.
When the landfill at the PCSWC eventually fills, the transportation costs of trash and C&D (which combined are most Aspen’s
waste) will increase considerably. Figure 2 describes strategies for extending the life of the landfill. Diverted recycling, which
measures ~20% of the waste stream, and electronic waste (State regulations prohibit from landfills) travels 210 miles to Denver to
be processed. Due to the global economics of the recycling industry, Aspen has little control over where its recyclables travel after
sorting. What the community can influence is where recycling is initially hauled. Supporting local recycling transfer stations, as well The public Rio Grande
as encouraging reuse within the valley will reduce the environmental footprint of Aspen’s recycling. Recycling Center

Figure 1. Aspen’s Waste Transportation Statistics

Processing Distance from Figure 2. Strategies to Reduce the Distance that Waste Travels, and
Waste type # of haulers
Destination Aspen
PCSWC 8 miles 6 Associated Transportation Emissions
Trash
South Canyon 40 miles ~2
PCSWC 8 miles 4 • Conserve the life of the Pitkin County Landfill.
Recycling
Denver ~200 miles 2 • Reuse construction and demolition debris.
Compost
PCSWC 8 miles 1 residential • Divert and process organics into compost.
2 commercial • Regulate the number of trucks hauling waste in Aspen.
PCSWC 8 miles 168 commercial
• Encourage local processing and use of materials, such as asphalt, glass,
South Canyon 40 miles (divided among
C&D2 metal, and wood.
Grand Junction 130 miles destinations)
Denver ~200 miles
E-Waste Denver ~200 miles 1 (twice a year)
Targets & Alerts Data Sourcing & Considerations
No target. Due to data availability, this report only measures miles traveled within the state of
Colorado, which reduces the values of recycling travel. Once sold to brokers, recycling will
continue to travel to different locations to be used and processed elsewhere, except for e-
waste, which is processed in Colorado.
Sources: [1] Liz Chapman, City of Aspen Senior Environmental Health Specialist. [2] Hilary Burgess, Pitkin County. [Photo] O’Connell, Liz. [Figures 1,2 data] City of Aspen Department of Environmental Health.