Our History

Coming soon…a CD Photo History of Summit Recycling Project with contributions from Bob Winsett, Mark Fox, and other local artists.

Summit Recycling Project (SRP), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, was originally founded in 1976 to promote waste reduction in Summit County. Founder Tim McClure incorporated SRP as "a non-profit educational-experimental organization to promote resource recovery and reduce wastefulness." Tim's program flourished for seven years as he and several other volunteers collected recyclable materials from county residents while also seeking financial assistance for the program. Tim's lobbying for government assistance and funding did not meet with success, however, forcing him to close SRP's doors in February 1983. Two years later, Tim died in an avalanche. In 1989, Bob and Rose Wentzell took on Tim McClure's ideas and philosophy to renew SRP's operations. They reinstated SRP's status as a 501(c)(3) organization and developed the Breckenridge and Frisco drop-off centers, which remain in operation today. One day per week, the two recycling centers began accepting newspapers, aluminum, plastic #1 and #2 bottles, glass bottles and jars, magazines, and office paper from county residents.

Over the past decade, the program has expanded to accept more than 18 recyclable materials. And fortunately, the tide of government has changed since Tim's day, as all five of the local governments in Summit County now provide direct and in-kind support for the project.

Summit Recycling’s drop-off centers are widely received by the community. According to a 1998 survey completed by the Town of Frisco, 88 percent of Frisco’s business owners and full-time residents use SRP’s drop-off center regularly or occasionally. Summit County’s active recycling participation is evidenced by the average 15 percent volume increases SRP has posted each of the last six years.
Most notably, SRP’s recycling and community education efforts are influencing landfill volumes. In 1998, landfill volumes increased by less than one percent over the previous year. Based on EPA conversion figures, recycling efforts in Summit County are estimated to be diverting 10 percent of the material that would have gone to the landfill.

Summit Recycling Project has received numerous awards for its successful recycling programs, including:

• Colorado Recycles Recycler of the Year Award for Outstanding Community Program (1995)
• Colorado Office of Energy Conservation’s Regional Recycling Commitment Award (1995)
• Shaping Our Summit’s Community Collaboration Awards for collaboration efforts with Youth and Family Services to develop a youth mentorship program (1997 and 1998), and for collaborating with Summit County’s five sanitation districts, four fire departments, County Environmental Health, HazMat Team, Summit Water Quality Committee and individual town governments to fund and host an annual household hazardous waste collection day.

This past year has been one of the most successful ever for Summit Recycling Project (SRP) in regards to both the volume of materials collected and expansion of programs and services. SRP's annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day served a record number of households! Over 280 cars passed through this important community event - keeping thousands of pounds of toxics out of our landfill and waterways.

Also this year, Summit Recycling Project hosted the second annual Used Computer Round-Up, where nearly 40,000 pounds of e-waste was collected, including TVs. Addressing this emerging waste stream has become a priority issue in our state and for SRP's staff.

In response to the drought and resulting fire danger in our community, Summit Recycling Project worked quickly to develop a program that would keep valuable and voluminous slash and wood waste out of the landfill. After only 5 months in operation, this program has successfully diverted nearly 75 tons, or 150,000 pounds of usable organic material from the landfill. The wood waste collected through this program will be chipped into mulch and composted on site at Climax mine for revegetation projects.

Despite slowing economies and lower visits to Summit County, SRP's recycling drop-off centers have been busier than ever this year showing a steady 10% increase in volumes over last year. This truly demonstrates the local community's commitment to recycling.