By LAUREN LYTLE

Compared with the rest of the country, Utah is currently in the bottom 10 percent for the number of recycling programs in the state, and the Utah County Health Department is hoping to change that.

Karly Matthews, an intern with the Environmental Health Division of the Utah County Health Department, said the health department is working to promote recycling across the county, because the cities control the recycling programs.

“A survey we recently conducted showed that over the past five years, attitudes toward recycling have drastically improved,” Matthews said. “Several cities in Utah County have implemented recycling programs in the past few years and several others are following suit.” 

Matthews said the health department wants more cities to sign contracts with curbside recycling companies.

“I think a lot of people think recycling is for hippies and we don’t want people to think that,” Matthews said. “I went to the landfills last week and it was horrifying to see how much waste was there. We can’t carry on living like this, because we just don’t have enough resources.”

Eleven Utah County cities currently have curbside recycling programs.

Provo residents can choose to participate in curbside recycling. The program started in 2003 and costs $5 a month. Currently 22 percent of residents use the service.

Provo has another option for those who do not want to pay to recycle. Residents can take their plastic, cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, phone books, aluminum and tin to the drop-off bin at the compost station at 1625 S. Industrial Parkway.

“Recycling is important to Provo City, because we need to reuse our resources and be responsible,” said Scott Peppler, a Provo City public service officer. “By recycling just one aluminum can, enough energy is saved to power a television set for a few hours.”

In Orem, residents can sign up for the service on the city’s Web site. Participants are billed $36 annually.

In Alpine, 33 percent of residents are signed up for the service.

“We want to be able to reuse and to reduce waste,” said Brittany Peay, an Alpine resident. “It’s also a great way to help the earth.”

About 7,000 Springville residents signed up for the city’s recycling service, which started in June. Residents pay $5 a month.

Other cities in Utah County who currently have curbside recycling contracts include American Fork, Highland, Lehi, Lindon, Saratoga Springs and Mapleton.

Conversely, cities such as Eagle Mountain, Elk Ridge, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Payson and Santaquin do not have curbside recycling programs currently available to residents.

“I think it is really important to have a recycling program,” said Laura Turner, a Payson resident. “Payson is a small town, but we are growing and so is our land fill. The whole side of Payson by the land fill is getting pretty gross.”

As time goes on, the Utah County Health Department said it expects more cities to sign contracts. Pleasant Grove is planning to implement the first opt-out recycling program in Utah County by the end of this year.

In the mean time, residents can also use privately owned companies that will pay for certain recyclable materials.

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