Waste & Recycling
The Waste & Recycling Division collects trash, recycling, and yard waste/compost from about 42,000 homes and businesses every week. The Education & Permits team educates Salt Lakers on proper waste, recycling, and compost disposal. Their dedication and essential work is critical to health and safety, making Salt Lake City a cleaner, more resilient community every day.
Learn more about the City’s waste management and curbside services.
2025 Accomplishments
- Completed two comprehensive waste sorts and field studies. These studies will be used towards completion of the forthcoming Waste Characterization Study. This information will help with identifying opportunities towards Zero Waste by 2040 (PDF). The consultant’s final report is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
- Continued to make progress on a three-year EPA Recycling Education & Outreach Grant. Through this grant project, we aim to evolve our Waste & Recycling Division’s education program to take a more community-based approach in supporting long-term waste reduction goals. Specific activities in 2025 included:
- Updated curbside collection routes to maximize safety, efficiency, and operator well-being. The update affected 80% of all customers by changing their collection day. The transition was smooth and with very few complaints, thanks to the coordinated citywide effort to communicate the changes to residents.
- Completed construction of eight new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to support our light-duty vehicles.
- Updated curbside collection routes to maximize safety, efficiency, and operator well-being. The update affected 80% of all customers by changing their collection day. The transition was smooth and with very few complaints, thanks to the coordinated citywide effort to communicate the changes to residents.
2025 Statistics
- 3.8 million containers emptied weekly for approximately 42,000 customers
- 66,075 tons of total material collected
- 36.5% of the waste stream diverted from the landfill, including:
- 9,266 tons recycled
- 14,855 tons composted
- 1,406 tons of glass recycled through curbside pick-up and drop-off dumpsters
- Call 2 Haul
- Completed 9,909 pick up requests as the bulk waste program continued to be well-utilized. Other highlights include:
- 208 tons of electronics, mattresses, appliances, metals, and tires recycled
- 27 tons of bulk green waste composted
- 834 illegal piles removed from public spaces
- 2,470 extra green waste carts distributed in the fall for leaves
- Completed 9,909 pick up requests as the bulk waste program continued to be well-utilized. Other highlights include:
- Education & Permits Team
- Educates residents on curbside waste, recycling, and compost services and guidelines. Through their work, the City continues to reduce contamination in curbside and special event collection. This means more materials are recycled or composted, instead of needing to be landfilled. Accomplishments in 2025 include:
- Diverted 12,586 tons of Construction & Demolition (C&D) material from landfills.
- Reviewed 157 C&D Waste Management Plans and 14 post-project reports, achieving an average estimated diversion rate of 70%, with actual reported diversion at 66%.
- Assisted 61 businesses and/or multi-family properties in developing recycling programs to comply with the City’s Business & Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance.
- Attended 45 outreach and education events, and had conversations with an estimated 7,718 people.
- Reviewed and coordinated 268 Special Event Waste Management Plans.
- Educates residents on curbside waste, recycling, and compost services and guidelines. Through their work, the City continues to reduce contamination in curbside and special event collection. This means more materials are recycled or composted, instead of needing to be landfilled. Accomplishments in 2025 include:
2026 Priorities
- Complete the Waste Characterization Study. This will help us develop an action plan and strategies that align with the new Climate Forward SLC plan and track progress towards our Zero Waste goal.
- Continue work on the EPA Recycling Education & Outreach grant. Planned grant activities include:
- Providing over 30 community collection events for hard to recycle materials.
- Establishing a recycling ambassador program.
- Piloting a food waste recycling project at a City facility in cooperation with another City department.
- Transitioning some of the education team’s focus from residential cart checking to more intentional, targeted community outreach. The team will still continue checking recycling and yard waste carts to maintain low contamination rates.
- Providing over 30 community collection events for hard to recycle materials.
- In coordination with Salt Lake County, begin efforts to create a strategic plan for the Salt Lake Valley Solid Waste Management Facility (landfill).
- Proactively plan the Waste & Recycling Division’s future funding needs by establishing a Capital Improvement Fund within the Refuse Enterprise Fund.