Teton County, Wyo., adopts zero waste resolution

Teton County commissioners have voted unanimously to adopt a zero waste resolution, becoming the first community in Wyoming, Montana or Idaho to do so.

The resolution calls for 60 percent of the county’s waste to be diverted from landfills by 2030.

“Teton County generates almost 40,000 tons of waste each year and that’s a lot of waste for a population of our size,” said Heather Overhulser, division chief of Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling.

Currently, 34 percent of the county’s waste is recycled, but most is shipped to landfills in the Idaho Falls area at a cost of millions each year – but not anymore.

“We’d like to make sure that as little waste as possible goes to the landfill,” said Overhulser.

While the 60 percent diversion goal sounds ambitious, county leaders insist it’s feasible.

“They’ve looked at this pretty hard. They’ve thought about it. They have a path forward,” said commissioner Hank Phibbs.

Part of that path includes making it easier to recycle.

“What we’re looking at is how we could potentially collect a comingled stream of recyclables where all the recyclables would go into one can,” said Overhulser.

Commissioners plan to draw up a definitive plan for implementing the resolution by the end of the 2015 fiscal year.

Overhulser said if they meet the 60 percent goal before 2030, they may increase it.

Teton County is now one of only 31 communities in the nation to adopt a zero waste resolution.