ECOrtez is a curb-side recycling program that the City initiated in July 1991. The City program collects glass, mixed paper, cardboard, and aluminum beverage cans. The ECOrtez program consists of weekly curbside collection service and a drop-off station.
How ECOrtez Works
A 22-gallon green recycling bin is utilized by one and two-family dwellings. The bin is designed to hold three grocery bags full of recyclables. These bins will remain the property of the City of Cortez and will be assigned to each address. Please set a good example for your neighbors by not using the bin for anything other than recycling.
If you move, please leave the bin at your present address. If you do not intend to use the bin provided, contact the Public Works Department at 970-565-7320, ext 3352, and arrangements will be made to have the bin picked up.
It’s easy to recycle…all you do is separate and store your recyclables in grocery bags within the bin provided, and put the bin out by the curb in front of your property on the same day your garbage is picked up. Please have the bin out by 6:00 a.m. If your trash is normally picked up in the alley, the bin must still be placed by the curb in front of your property. If you generate more recyclable material than your bin can hold, please continue to separate your recyclables into grocery bags and place them next to your bin on pick-up days. The paper bags will be left for you to re-use.
Drop-off Stations
As part of the City’s recycling program, a drop-off station is provided for those who do not have the chance to participate in the City’s curbside pick-up program or live outside the City limits. The drop-off station has six dumpsters, each labeled for one of the items to be collected. Accompanying the dumpsters is a green sign stating which materials are acceptable in each dumpster, and which items are not allowed. The drop-off station is located at 110 West Progress Circle, in the Industrial Park next to the City Service Center. See Map. Other drop off stations are located throughout Montezuma County through the 4-Corners Recycling Initiative.
Holiday Pick-Ups
Residential recycling bins will not be emptied on holidays. Holiday pick-up schedules will be posted in the local newspaper and on the City website.
Preparation of Recyclable Materials
Help the City keep the cost of recycling down by using the following guidelines to separate your recyclable materials. You are providing the raw material for a manufacturing process. Because of this, the material we sell to processors must conform to very specific guidelines and be free from contamination. Failure to meet these guidelines may result in the rejection of entire loads. Please help ECOrtez by learning the guidelines and recycle properly.
Items to Recycle:
- Newspaper - We accept the newspaper and all its supplements, mixed paper - to include copy paper, phone books, magazines, catalogues, and miscellaneous other paper material. However, the plastic wrapping on some magazines is not recyclable so please dispose of it in your regular trash.
- Glass - We accept clean glass bottles and jars. Please remove lids and all Styrofoam type labels. Do not include: window glass, ceramics, pyrex, light bulbs, drinking glasses, or any other glass. A dumpster is available for brown glass only. Please separate it from all other glass.
- Aluminum - We accept aluminum beverage cans, aluminum foil and pans. We do not recycle tin or steel cans. Please do not put them in this bin.
- Cardboard - The City accepts cardboard boxes - broken down flat. There is a bin at the Service Center for cardboard; however, for large quantities of cardboard, please contact the Recycling Coordinator at the City Service Center to make an appointment to drop it off. Egg cartons, cereal boxes, etc. are considered cardboard. Please put with the cardboard boxes.
The City's Recycling Program does not take plastic bottles, dog or cat food cans, tin cans or steel cans (i.e. if a magnet sticks to it, we don't recycle it).
The City does not collect yard waste (i.e. leaves, branches, mulch or compost) from individuals for recycling.
If tin or steel cans, wet paper, or trash in general is placed in the recycling bin, or the recyclables are not sorted properly, the material will be left for you to dispose of.
The City does not recycle plastic of any kind.
What happens to all this stuff?
The City contracts with the Montezuma County Landfill to bale the paper and cardboard. The newspaper is trucked to Snowflake, Arizona, and is made into newsprint. The cardboard is shipped to Lawton, Oklahoma, and is made into drywall covering. The mixed glass is trucked to Durango, where it is crushed and sold. The brown glass is also trucked to Durango, where it is crushed and hauled to Coors Recycling Center in Denver. The aluminum is taken to Belt Salvage. The mulch from trees pruned by City employees is currently being taken to the golf course and turned into “super soil.”