Summit County approved the Save Our Space: Plan 2063 on Sept. 23. It is to prolong the Three Mile Canyon landfill’s expiration date by 10 years, from 2053 to 2063.
The county said expanding the landfill or finding another site for trash could cost millions.
The program focuses first on reducing how much waste is taken there, said Deputy County Manger Janna Young.
“We actually have to reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill by one-third each year,” Young said. “That may sound ambitious, but it is feasible.”
She said paper, cardboard and organic waste make up 60% of the landfill volume.
“By focusing on even just those materials, we can hit that goal,” Young said.
The county is already expanding recycling access.
In August, it opened drop-off sites at the Ledges Event Center in Coalville, the Kamas park-and-ride, the Ecker Hill park-and-ride in the Snyderville Basin and one at the landfill itself. These collection sites accept glass and mixed recyclables seven days a week.
Summit County Sustainability Director Emily Quinton said the county will also launch an app to help residents figure out what can be recycled, composted and thrown out.
“So, I've got a battery. I'm forgetting. Can I put this in the trash? Do I need to recycle it? I could search ‘battery.’ The platform will tell me what my options are for disposing of that properly,” she said.
Young said Plan 2063 is designed to adjust as waste-reduction technology evolves.
“This plan is not a static plan,” Young said. “We plan to continue to reevaluate and look at things and see if we’re progressing toward that goal. And so, this is really kind of a catch-all of what do we need to keep on our radar and in the back of our minds as we head into the future.”
The next steps include additional recycling facilities in Park City and Silver Summit, along with programs to support home composting and reduce food waste.
