City of Aspen’s waste department collecting old skis and snowboards for recycling

The city of Aspen is partnering with Colorado Ski Furniture to recycle old and broken skis and snowboards, offering a creative solution to reduce waste. 

The collection runs from March 15 through April 30 at the Rio Grande Recycle Center. Accepted items include skis, snowboards, bindings, and poles, though helmets and boots will not be accepted. The collected gear will be repurposed into custom furniture pieces.

Colorado Ski Furniture owner Adam Vernon said the business, which started in his garage, has grown over 18 years to employ up to 30 people at a time.

“We did our first ski chair in our backyard around 2007, and then I got my retail store in Manitou around 2014,” Vernon said. “We have a full-time crew at our big store for about 11 years now.”

His connection to Aspen began in 2017 through the city’s Saturday Market, leading to a partnership with the recycling program.

“We met some connections while at Highlands, and they introduced us to the recycling program with the city,” Vernon said. “It just grew from there.”

While Vernon appreciates receiving materials for free, he noted the significant investment required to process them.

“It is never free because we have to go up to Aspen to get and process it. We put a ton of money into the trapping of all it, but any connections we can get, we love it,” he said.

Among the company’s most popular creations are their Colorado flag ski chairs and repurposed ski lift chairs.

City of Aspen Waste Diversion and Recycling Specialist Jimena Baldino said this marks the third year of partnering with Colorado Ski Furniture.

“This is the third year that we are doing the program. I visited Colorado Ski Furniture last year to see what they were doing with the ski and snowboard gear. They were making benches, chairs, tables, and even toilet plungers out of ski poles,” Baldino said. “Colorado Ski Furniture will make cup holders out of old ski bindings too.”

The company also transforms old chair lifts into swings and benches. Baldino noted the program’s popularity is fueled by uncertainty about how to dispose of old gear.

“I think it’s because most people do not know what to do with their old gear, so they just hang on to them,” she said.

In addition to supporting Colorado Ski Furniture’s recycling efforts, the city’s waste department allows community members to collect old skis and snowboards for personal projects.

“We have people who call every now and then who want to pick up some skis if they want to make a fence or pick something up for home projects,” Baldino said. “People can take whatever they want as long as it goes to a good cause. We just do not want to see the skis end up at the landfill.”

Last year, over 3,000 pounds of ski and snowboard gear were diverted from the Pitkin County landfill, following 6,000 pounds of gear collected during the program’s first year. Baldino credits the success to raising awareness about recycling options.

“We are excited about this program, and the community loves it. This is a cool project that is unique to a ski town,” Baldino said.

For more information, contact waste@aspen.gov. For more information about Colorado Ski Furniture or to purchase a signature Colorado flag ski chair, visit coloradoskichairs.com.