What happens to my recycling after it is collected?

The recyclable material that is collected by the City is first taken to the Durango Recycling Center, located at 710 Tech Center Drive, where it is baled. From there the bales are sent to processing facilities that open up the bale, and sort the materials by type. These sorted materials are then baled once more and sold to facilities that use this material to create new goods.

Some materials like Styrofoam, PVC, and biodegradable plastics cannot be recycled, and so they are sorted out during processing and are sent to the landfill.

Show All Answers

1. Why is it called Single Stream Recycling?
2. Is single stream better than multi-stream sorted recycling?
3. Should I put my recyclables in a bag before I place them in my single stream recycling container?
4. Why aren’t plastic bags and film accepted in single stream recycling, and how can I recycle my plastic bags?
5. Why isn’t glass accepted in single stream recycling, and how can I recycle my glass?
6. I live in an apartment building or other type of multi-unit building; can I use the City’s recycling system?
7. I am a county resident; can I use the City of Durango for my trash and recycling collections?
8. What happens to my recycling after it is collected?
9. My trash or recycling wasn’t collected, what happened?
10. What does an overfill charge on my bill mean?
11. My container or dumpster lid is broken and not closing properly, can you fix it?
12. Are trash and recycling still collected during winter storms?