Park City council to consider land agreement securing Recycle Utah’s future home

Recycle Utah currently operates on a 0.4-acre site at Park City’s old transit facility since 1996 Photo: TownLift

With the clock ticking on its current lease, Recycle Utah could soon have a permanent path forward as Park City Council considers a land deal that would allow the nonprofit to relocate and expand its services.

PARK CITY, Utah — At Tuesday’s Park City Council meeting, council members will consider a proposed land conveyance agreement with Summit County that would mark a major step toward securing a permanent home for Recycle Utah, the long-standing nonprofit recycler that serves Summit County and the greater Park City area.

Under the proposed agreement, Summit County would convey a 4.18-acre parcel of county-owned land just east of US 40 in Silver Summit to Park City. If approved, Park City would immediately begin working with Recycle Utah toward its acquisition of the lot for a new, long-term recycling facility serving both the county and Park City residents.

The property was jointly identified by the City, County, and Recycle Utah as a viable long-term solution that allows Recycle Utah to continue operating a central drop-off and collection center, while remaining a hub for recycling education, outreach, and community engagement, according to a city news release.

The conveyance would be structured as an exchange under existing agreements between the City and County and does not require new funding, city officials noted. Though, funding for the facility itself is still in question.

Currently, Recycle Utah operates on a 0.4-acre site in Park City’s Bonanza Park area. The organization was notified by the city that it must vacate its current location by September 2026 to make way for redevelopment in that area.

At their current center, Recycle Utah accepts more than 45 types of materials for recycling, reuse, or hazardous waste treatment and diverts millions of pounds of recyclable material from landfills annually. Its environmental education programs reach thousands of local schoolchildren each year, and the organization offers outreach, workshops, and sustainability resources to residents and businesses.

According to Recycle Utah’s recently appointed executive director Andy Hecht, the Silver Summit site would enable significant expansion of services, including the potential to increase food waste acceptance, grow commercial recycling operations, and build facilities that better support education and community engagement.

Hecht mentioned Recycle Utah staff and volunteers have also discussed options such as temporary structures on the new site to bridge the period between vacating the current site and completing construction on the new facility.

Funding and planning ahead

Recycle Utah has estimated that a new facility could cost between $5 million and $7 million, although exact figures remain in flux until schematic design is complete.

A capital campaign, which the organization hopes to launch this spring, is part of their fundraising strategy, alongside public and private contributions, partnerships, and support from county and city governments.

While land conveyance is a key milestone, Recycle Utah’s leaders emphasize that securing construction funding, community support, and a phased timeline remain critical next steps before the new facility can be built and fully operational.

City leaders frame the collaboration as a defining investment in the region’s environmental infrastructure. “This is real forward progress,” Park City Mayor Ryan Dickey said. “With the city, county, and Recycle Utah aligned, the path is clear and we’re moving deliberately toward a permanent solution that will serve our community for decades.”

For more about Recycle Utah’s role in local recycling and waste diversion, see recycleutah.org or visit Summit County’s solid waste action plan at summitcounty.info/actionplan.