Orem leaders 'zone in' on recycling

OREM — It pays to get in The Zone.

No, it's not a cash-back offer for Orem folks and firms using the diet craze of the same name.

This zone is all about old, used and reused goods.

Orem leaders decided last month to create the city's first "recycling market zone," a program sponsored by the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

The program gives state tax credits for businesses that expand their use of recycled materials in the manufacturing process. Tax breaks also can be earned for collecting recycled materials for processing.

The DCD Transfer and Recycling station, 520 N. Geneva Road, is the first business in Orem to take advantage of the program. DCD collects and bales recycled materials for shipping to reprocessing facilities.

Les Prall, who oversees the state program, says the program has been inching into communities.

"Utah is behind the curve nationally in recycling, but we're doing better," Prall said. "As of December, 30 entities have applied and received zones, either counties or communities. There were only five zones in 1997."

DCD's Jim Jensen and Smokey Peck first approached Orem officials about obtaining the tax benefits, according to Richard Manning, Orem's assistant city manager.

Both Jensen and Peck knew of the tax-credit program as a result of their positions on the board of directors for the Recycling Coalition of Utah.

According to Peck, DCD was trying to find a way to take care of construction demolition recycling — concrete, asphalt, carpeting, etc., in Utah County.

"Utah County hasn't had a local facility for recycling," Peck said. "It had to be taken to Salt Lake."

According to Manning, three cities in Utah County have recycling programs. Provo and Orem provide optional subscriptions for recycling to residents, while Lehi has mandatory recycling.

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