Nederland and the surrounding area is fortunate to have an efficient and forward-looking waste transfer facility located in the mountains. It’s operated by Boulder County and easily accessible on 286 Ridge Road.

The station is open everyday except holidays and Wednesdays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

When you take waste to the station you are likely to meet either “Squid” Gullekson or Billy Donovan, the regular attendants there. Billy and Squid are very friendly folks, music lovers, and highly knowledgeable about everything waste-related.

The basics at the transfer station:

• landfill wastes, accepted for a fee, include bagged waste, loose trash, and larger items;

• recycled materials, accepted free of charge, include corrugated cardboard, single-stream items such as containers and paper goods (no plastic bags), textiles (used clothing, etc.), scrap metal,

These recyclable items are accepted for a small fee: block pieces of styrofoam, mattresses and box springs, appliances with CFC’s (AC units, refrigerators);

• compostable materials, accepted for a small fee, include food scraps and yard wastes.

Recently Nederland’s Sustainability Advisory Board won a Boulder County grant for a new LED messaging board to be installed at the station to better inform people about recycling and composting and other Zero Waste initiatives.

The “Zero Waste or darn near” strategy is the official operating policy of Boulder County, designed to utilize the recycling power of natural processes to save energy and resources, and reduce greenhouse gases.

Next year the transfer station hopes to have a dedicated pole barn to recycle/ reuse construction materials and a big new on-site composter unit. Stay tuned!

For specific transfer station information, visit bouldercounty.gov or call 303-258-7878.

Larry Tasaday is a member of Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board. For more info contact sab@nederlandco.org.