Our community has an incredible asset that we are on the verge of losing. After 35 years of unwavering service, Recycle Utah, our beloved resource conservation nonprofit, has been asked to leave its current site by Sept. 1, 2026. If a new location isn’t secured soon, recycling operations will cease by June 30, 2026. As of writing this letter, Park City and Summit County leadership have yet to confirm a plan to continue the vital work of Recycle Utah at a new location.

As someone who works in the waste and recycling industry, I would like to briefly paint a picture of Recycle Utah’s rare model and remarkable impact. This small-but-mighty operation diverts more than 3.5 million pounds of material from landfill each year. They accept over 45 different materials for reuse, recycling or hazardous waste treatment. And they accept them in any quantity from all residents free of charge.

Moreover, Recycle Utah’s passionate team has supported our community’s green businesses, sustainability education (reaching 6,000 elementary schoolchildren annually), and zero-waste goals with clear vision, unwavering commitment and serious results.

Such an organization would be the envy of any other city. Indeed, there are but a handful of similar nonprofits in the country.

Tragically, Recycle Utah is now at risk of being a victim of its own success. It has helped to fill a serious infrastructure gap in our community for over three decades, affording the city and county the luxury of putting off any recycling infrastructure investment — until now.

The looming gap in our recycling services isn’t just an inconvenience. It has serious economic and sustainability implications for our community.

Without the service provided by Recycle Utah, millions of pounds of additional waste will end up in our already stressed landfill system — squandering valuable would-be-recyclable material and accelerating the day when our landfill runs out of space.

When the Three Mile Canyon Landfill reaches capacity, taxpayers will be hit with an additional $100 per ton to haul waste elsewhere — a total expense estimated at $8 million to $10 million per year. If we don’t invest in waste diversion infrastructure now, we are locking in far greater costs for residents in the future.

And those ambitious sustainability goals frequently cited by our city and county? We have no chance of achieving those essential milestones without immediate action. “Waste reduction” is a priority in the Park City General Plan draft. And “environmental stewardship” and “zero waste” are stated county goals. Notably, any plans on how we might achieve these objectives are currently light on details and include no infrastructure commitments.

Fortunately, there is a plan — we just need to implement it! Anticipating the needs of the community, Recycle Utah worked with national experts in 2024 to design a new facility to meet our region’s future recycling needs and 35%-50% diversion rate goals — a new structure situated on 5-6 acres, featuring a hub-and-spoke collection model to effectively service the broader community for decades to come. This $25 million plan was presented to the public, the city, and the county. I would encourage everyone to view it on the Recycle Utah website.

At this critical juncture, it would appear that government leadership is not yet ready to make that level of investment despite the clear evidence that it would pay for itself in landfill and hauling savings down the road.

However, a smaller interim plan that would double the existing diversion rate to 24% is now on the table. Happily, the city and county have offered Recycle Utah the land (4 acres on the Gillmor lot). However, there is no current plan for how a new facility’s construction will be paid for.

WhileRecycle Utah would be an ideal operator for this new site, the nonprofit does not have the funds to build the infrastructure. This responsibility falls firmly on our municipal government. And the upfront investment — significantly lower than the long-term plan — will ensure we don’t go backward in our recycling efforts.

I urge my fellow residents to contact our elected officials in the city and county and ask them to:

  • Take immediate steps to identify and fund an interim recycling facility — maintaining the momentum and operational excellence Recycle Utah has fostered over 35 years.
  • Commit to building a long-term, modern facility that matches our community’s values — charting a fiscally responsible and sustainability-minded course.

Our city and county have a unique opportunity to partner on what could be a truly exemplary infrastructure project. With thoughtful investment now, we can stand by our sustainability commitments, mitigate massive future costs, and ensure local recycling remains strong for years to come.

The need is urgent. The time is now. Rehome Recycle Utah today.

Katie Kinnear

Park City

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