Solid Waste
Date Updated: 06/07/2011
Landfill Waste Characterization, 2006
Nearly every human activity leaves behind some kind of waste. Households create ordinary garbage. Industrial and manufacturing processes create solid and hazardous wastes. Waste products must be disposed of by methods designed to be safe for human and animal life and the environment. These methods are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and include disposal of solid materials in landfills, disposal of liquid wastes in underground injection wells, and the storage and pretreatment of liquid wastes and biosolids.
The Larimer County Landfill is located south of Fort Collins on Taft Hill Road, about two miles south of Harmony Road. The landfill site also includes the Larimer County Recycling Center and the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. To facilitate waste collection in smaller communities, Larimer County also operates four waste transfer stations. These transfer stations are located in Berthoud, Estes Park, Red Feather Lakes, and Wellington.
A vertical expansion for the Larimer County Landfill site was approved in March 1995, which meant that another ten feet of trash and cover could be placed on top of the existing fill areas. The 1995 vertical expansion added approximately 4 million cubic yards of new capacity to the original 12 million cubic yard capacity. As of 2002, the life expectancy of the landfill, without further expansion, was about 5-6 years. In April 2004, the County approved a second vertical expansion. As of 2010, the Larimer County Landfill is expected to last another 18.9 years. When the site can no longer be expanded, the facility will be closed according to current State and Federal regulations.
There are four types of waste, as categorized for the Larimer County Waste Composition Study. The four types of waste are: residential, commercial, self-haul, and construction and demolition. For detailed information and definitions for the four types of waste, refer to Section 2: Methodology, page 1 of the Larimer County Waste Composition Study (2006-2007) [pdf].
NOTE: Prior to 2010, trash haulers serving Fort Collins reported solid waste collection in cubic yards. In 2010 the reporting method changed to tons, making it impossible to compare 2010 data to previous years.
What this chart shows: Larimer County Landfill Intake, 2001-2010
Data Source: Larimer County Solid Waste Department (data not available online)
What these data tell us:
Larimer County Landfill intake decreased 32% over the past 10 years. The Larimer County Landfill intake has continually declined in recent years due in part to the increase of recycling.These figures do not represent the full amount of waste produced by Larimer County residents. Some local haulers deliver loads to landfills outside of Larimer County. There is also a probability that some Larimer County residents haul their waste to landfills in Weld County [pdf].
What this chart shows: Larimer County Residential Waste Composition, 2006
*Other waste includes construction and demolition materials such as drywall, block, brick, stone, insulation, and asphalt roofing, and miscellaneous organics and inorganics not elsewhere classified including diapers/sanitary products, electronics, bulky items, carpet, tires and household hazardous waste.
Data Source: Larimer County Waste Composition Study (2006-2007)
What these data tell us:
Paper products were the most common type of residential waste collected at the Larimer County landfill, according to the latest 'Waste Composition Study'. Paper products include office paper, cardboard and newspaper. Although paper products remained the most common type of waste, this category decreased from 43.9% of residential waste in 1998 to 31.4% in 2006. Paper products are one of the easiest and most cost-effective products to recycle. Recycling has increased in recent years and is the most likely reason for the decrease in paper products at the landfill.See the data table for Comparison of Waste Composition by Source.
What this chart shows: Larimer County Commercial Waste Composition, 2006
*Other waste includes construction and demolition materials such as drywall, block, brick, stone, insulation, and asphalt roofing, and miscellaneous organics and inorganics not elsewhere classified including diapers/sanitary products, electronics, bulky items, carpet, tires and household hazardous waste.
Data Source: Larimer County Waste Composition Study (2006-2007)
What these data tell us:
Paper products and food waste made up nearly 48% of the commercial waste collected at the landfill. Commercial waste had the smallest amount of 'other' (uncategorizable) waste of the three waste sources. Residential and Commercial waste are relatively similar in composition.See the data table for Comparison of Waste Composition by Source.
What this chart shows: Composition of Larimer County Self-hauled Waste, 2006
*Other waste includes construction and demolition materials such as drywall, block, brick, stone, insulation, and asphalt roofing, and miscellaneous organics and inorganics not elsewhere classified including diapers/sanitary products, electronics, bulky items, carpet, tires and household hazardous waste.
Data Source: Larimer County Waste Composition Study (2006-2007)
What these data tell us:
The 'other' waste category is largely made up of construction and demolition (C&D) materials (i.e. drywall, block, brick, stone, insulation and asphalt roofing). After C&D waste, wood products were the most common type of waste hauled to the landfill by private individuals. Construction materials made up the bulk of these wood products. Other common types of self-hauled waste included paper products, yard waste, and textiles.See the data table for Comparison of Waste Composition by Source.
Related Information on COMPASS -
- Electricity Consumption
- Environment: Quality
- Population Size & Growth
- Recycling
- Water Consumption
- Wind Energy Consumption
Other Resources-
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division: State agency responsible for regulating the management and disposal of solid waste in Colorado.
- Colorado State University - Recycling & Integrated Solid Waste (ISW) Trash Services: Information about the University's management of solid waste and recyclables.
- Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Solid Waste: Federal agency responsible for regulating the disposal of all solids wastes generated in the United States. Detailed information on the production, disposal, and effects of all types of solid wastes.
- Fort Collins Department of Natural Resources: Information about the department in the City of Fort Collins responsible for solid and hazardous waste management.
- Larimer County Solid Waste Department: Information about the department in Larimer County responsible for recycling and solid waste management.
- Loveland Public Works Department-Solid Waste Utility: Information about the department in the City of Loveland responsible for solid and hazardous waste management.
Industry Standards or Target: N/A
Data Tables:
Larimer County Landfill Intake
|
Year |
Cubic Yards |
|
2001 |
939,513 |
|
2002 |
978,386 |
|
2003 |
939,272 |
|
2004 |
848,380 |
|
2005 |
849,887 |
|
2006 |
759,970 |
|
2007 |
804,854 |
|
2008 |
755,098 |
|
2009 |
706,603 |
|
2010 |
645,412 |
Comparison of Larimer County Waste Composition by Source, 2006
|
Type of Waste |
Residential |
Commercial |
Self-haul |
|
Ferrous Metals (iron based) |
3.0% |
3.5% |
2.9% |
|
Food Waste |
17.4% |
15.9% |
2.1% |
|
Glass and Ceramics |
3.5% |
2.7% |
2.8% |
|
Non-ferrous Metals (non-iron based) |
1.7% |
2.0% |
0.4% |
|
Paper Products |
31.4% |
31.6% |
13.9% |
|
Plastic, Leather, Rubber |
11.9% |
11.2% |
4.5% |
|
Other |
16.4% |
15.2% |
40.7% |
|
Textiles |
3.3% |
2.6% |
8.4% |
|
Wood Products |
3.0% |
8.9% |
15.0% |
|
Yard Waste |
8.4% |
6.3% |
9.5% |
Comparison of 1998 and 2006 Larimer County Residential Waste Composition
|
Type of Waste |
1998 |
2006 |
|
Ferrous Metals (iron based) |
3.6% |
3.0% |
|
Food Waste |
14.2% |
17.4% |
|
Glass and Ceramics |
1.9% |
3.5% |
|
Non-ferrous Metals (non-iron based) |
1.0% |
1.7% |
|
Other |
3.1% |
16.4% |
|
Paper Products |
43.9% |
31.4% |
|
Plastic, Leather, Rubber |
12.2% |
11.9% |
|
Textiles |
2.6% |
3.3% |
|
Wood Products |
3.9% |
3.0% |
|
Yard Waste |
13.6% |
8.4% |
Comparison of 1998 and 2006 Larimer County Commercial Waste Composition
|
Type of Waste |
1998 |
2006 |
|
Ferrous Metals (iron based) |
4.0% |
3.5% |
|
Food Waste |
4.0% |
15.9% |
|
Glass and Ceramics |
1.4% |
2.7% |
|
Non-ferrous Metals (non-iron based) |
0.8% |
2.0% |
|
Other |
19.3% |
15.2% |
|
Paper Products |
17.9% |
31.6% |
|
Plastic, Leather, Rubber |
7.0% |
11.2% |
|
Textiles |
8.2% |
2.6% |
|
Wood Products |
27.7% |
8.9% |
|
Yard Waste |
9.9% |
6.3% |
Comparison of 1998 and 2006 Larimer County Self-haul Waste Composition
|
Type of Waste |
1998 |
2006 |
|
Ferrous Metals (iron based) |
13.9% |
2.9% |
|
Food Waste |
4.0% |
2.1% |
|
Glass and Ceramics |
4.4% |
2.8% |
|
Non-ferrous Metals (non-iron based) |
3.3% |
0.4% |
|
Other |
11.6% |
40.7% |
|
Paper Products |
13.3% |
13.9% |
|
Plastic, Leather, Rubber |
8.3% |
4.5% |
|
Textiles |
3.2% |
8.4% |
|
Wood Products |
27.4% |
15.0% |
|
Yard Waste |
10.6% |
9.5% |