Did you know that yardwaste currently makes up around 13% of the local waste stream going into the landfill? GSI remains the only local company to recognize the difference we can make to support local and statewide

Why Participate

There are many reasons participating in this program makes sense. First, it is good for the environment. When biodegradeable materials are buried in the landfill they create methane gas as they break down. This gas gets trapped in the ground, slowly seaps out or must be piped out and burned off into the atmosphere.

Yardwaste materials are taken to a local compost facility where they are converted into viable compost. Compost is a valuable additive that improves soil quality. Other things such as mulch are also created from branches and other wood remains and made available to beautify yard landscaping.

Did you know that Colorado has one of the LOWEST recycling rates in the US? Your participation in this program will help reduce Colorado's total waste stream and reach waste reduction goals. State legislature is under consideration that could result in a statewide ban on yardwaste entering landfills. In addition, the city of Fort Collins has set a goal of 50% waste reduction by 2010. If your lawn trimmings alone amount to just one 30-gallon bag per week, on average you could increase your annual household recycle rate by 25 percent!

How about personal benefits? Our program should save on disposal costs since the fee for the equivalent volume of trash is twice as high. Many Yardwaste service customers used to backyard compost. They find the program advantagious becouse it takes up much less time since they dont have to turn or mess with their piles, they can include branches and shrubs, and there is not a constant odor issue as there can be with compost piles.

The wheeled cart provided is easy to move and use anywhere in yard you need it. The large lid opening on the the cart means no more fighting to load plastic garbage bags. And it beats messing with a mulching mower! Mulchers complain that they have to mow with greater frequency, especially when there is a lot of rain. trimmings may end up sitting on the lawn and even damage it in areas where they become to thick. They even get tracked into the house, through the carpet and more! This program will save mulchers time spent mowing and cleaning up after it.

The program is just as simple as your trash collection service with much more benefit. GSI supplies you with a specially designed 65-gallon yard waste container along with an instruction guide listing the materials to include for yardwaste pickup.

Participants are allowed to set out an additional 35-gallon can of yard debris or a bundle of branches each week at the same price. That means up to 100 gallons of yardwaste for just one small monthly fee!

You simply go about your normal yard work and load the container as needed. Yardwaste collection is done weekly. Just set our your container on your designated pickup day and we will take care of the rest.

All materials are taken to an area compost facility were they are transformed in a relatively short period of time into compost and mulch.

The yardwaste containers are not exactly the same as your regular trash cart. They have built in features there to help prepare the materials for composting.

The cart contains a screen-like, removable subfloor about five inches from the container bottom to help move moisture from yardwaste materials to the bottom of the container.

These features help reduce the weight of materials as collection day approaches, removes moisture which contributes to odor, and starts the breakdown cycle so that your yardwaste begins it's transition into compost.

This seasonal program runs from the first week of May through the last week of October each year.

Unfortunately, we are not yet able to offer this service to customers in all service areas. This service is available to all Fort Collins residences, and select neighborhoods in Wellington and Windsor. Pricing may vary by area of service and, yes current GSI customers get a discount from Non-GSI trash service customers.