Options for dumping garbage in county

As local authorities have taken a more serious look at illegal dumping around Rangely, they have asked whether the community is aware of legal dumping options and the penalties for disposing of trash on public land.
The answer, something less enthusiastic than a resounding “yes,” seemed ambiguous enough to spread the word about what you can — and can’t — do with household trash, tires, appliances and vegetation.
The Rangely Trash Service transfer station a mile and a half east of Rangely on Gillam Road accepts residential and household trash for $10 per yard (plan on around $20, or two yards, if you’re bringing in a level pickup-bed full of trash). The station has regular hours on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon but will arrange to meet residents at a time that works for them.
While the transfer station does not accept batteries, liquids or hazardous materials, the Rangely Conoco will take automotive batteries, antifreeze, oil, Freon and tires for a fee. NAPA Auto Parts accepts clean oil from customers for free, while Rangely True Value will take metal appliances containing refrigerants for $25. Plan to bring your fridge or freezer when the store’s open as you will need to let someone at the front counter know it’s there.
If you have tree limbs, leaves or garden waste to get rid of, consider hauling it to the Town of Rangely tree dump. Located east of the Rangely Camper Park on Purdy Road (that’s the first left after the Striegel Rock Park). The free dump has separate sections designated for different vegetation. During the week, residents should call 675-8476 to meet an employee at the dump site, Town Manager Peter Brixius said.
This June and last fall, Rio Blanco County residents brought their pesticides, herbicides and other household hazardous waste to collection drives paid for with state funds, put on by the Rio Blanco County Department of Public Health and Environment and supported by dumpster and service donations from Rangely Trash Service and Meeker’s Redi Services.
RBC environmental health officer Jeremy Simmons said that while the county does not currently have state funding for another drive, he’ll explore ways to fund hazardous waste gatherings in the future. Garnering more participation for the Rangely drive, he said, will be important to bringing the event back to the community.
A free tire-collection event funded by the county last month also saw a very good response, Simmons said, adding that he hopes to coordinate a similar event, if on a smaller scale, in the future.
An ongoing program to accept “e-waste,” or electronic items like computers or printers, could be in place as early as next year. Until then, Simmons said, the landfill continues to accept e-waste via a two-year exemption from statewide legislation enacted last month that bans electronic items from landfills.
If you’re headed to Meeker and decide to bring your own trash to the landfill, keep in mind that it’s open to the public Wednesdays through Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Household waste costs $58 per ton to dump, with special waste guidelines and detailed rate information available at www.co.rio-blanco.co.us/landfill/.
For residents who still have a free dump coupon issued last spring, those remain valid until Dec. 31 and allow for as much residential household waste as can fit in a pickup truck. Residents can bring up to five tires (rimless and separated), but the usual suspects won’t be accepted: batteries, liquids, hazardous waste, appliances containing refrigerant, ammunition, chemicals and asbestos. If you’ve lost track of your coupon, head to your local Road and Bridge office and ask for a new one, Road and Bridge administrative clerk Wendy Kenney said.
If legitimate methods of trash disposal don’t appeal, appliance-free hills aren’t your cup of tea either.
Dumping on public lands, according to Bureau of Land Management field ranger Don Miller, is a Class A misdemeanor that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of up to 12 months and a maximum individual fine of up to $100,000.
If residents are caught dumping by local law enforcement, a judge could enforce a fine of up to $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent offenses. The judge can also order the violator to clean up the mess without a Bobcat or backhoe to help.