Over 4,016 pounds of recyclable material was diverted from Cottonwood Heights residents within three hours. Those thousands of pounds of material were collected by the Utah Recycling Alliance on June 8 and distributed to the appropriate vendors taking recyclable material. 

On Sept. 10, Utah Recycling Alliance President Jill Fletcher and Rep. Robi Overson shared their finalized data from the CHaRM Recycling Event, which brought in this recyclable material, with the Cottonwood Heights City Council. 

Councilmember Ellen Birrell attended the event and was astonished at how efficient the entire system was. She complimented the Utah Recycling Alliance leaders for an effective and successful event. 

As per the acronym, the Utah Recycling Alliance puts on these events frequently throughout the Greater Salt Lake area to Collect Hard to Recycle Material or CHaRM. These events serve as opportunities for residents to bring in items that are technically recyclable but can’t go in the blue bins outside (which…make sure this newspaper ends up there, and not the black trash bin, after you’re done reading it all). 

“We want to provide a single-solution event,” said Fletcher. “Residents want to know they have an outlet for some of the recyclable material where they’re unsure to take it.”

When pulling up to Cottonwood Heights City Hall on June 8, residents were met by Utah Recycling Alliance workers as they drove through the parking lot. Attendees were then asked a few quick questions about what type of material they were there to recycle and directed to specific individuals or areas of the parking lot to divvy up that material. A total of 75 vehicles attended the event, with 24 being from outside of Cottonwood Heights. 

“We are working with different recyclers for participation,” Fletcher said. 

Out of that previously mentioned 4,016 pounds of material, there were: 900 pounds of scrap metal, 740 pounds of tires, 600 pounds of mattresses, 766 pounds of electronics and 470 pounds of various materials. Additional recyclable materials collected from Cottonwood Heights residents included: plastic clam shells, cell phones, e-waste, ink and toner cartridges, oral care, plastic film, snowboards and ski gear, and Styrofoam. 

“We did a survey and…only about 15 people participated… but everybody was a 10 on what their experience was,” said Overson. 

The follow-up survey also asked questions related to how participants heard about the event, if they would like to see the event held again in the future, and if participants were willing to donate. 

“A lot of people were asking when we are coming back,” Fletcher said. 

Out of the survey respondents, all were interested in attending another event in the future with the general majority opting for a once-per-year event. For an event next year, Overson requested for the city council to put an advertisement in the City’s Newsletter to boost participation. 

The Utah Recycling Alliance typically puts on about four to six CHaRM events per year throughout the Greater Salt Lake area, depending on the current partnerships with municipalities. 

“We have cities all over the valley who we are in conversation with,” Overson said. 

For example, a CHaRM event was held at Utah’s Hogle Zoo in April, and one is currently being scheduled for the west side of Salt Lake early next year. 

To stay up to date about acceptable recyclable material and scheduled CHaRM events, visit the Utah Recycling Alliance website at: www.utahrecyclingalliance.org/charm-events.λ