Yes. The provision is included in the town’s Wildlife Protection Ordinance..

The Town Council adopted the stricter Wildlife Protection Ordinance in October 2006. One of the allowances of that ordinance gave trash customers until April 15, 2007 to comply with the mandatory container provision.

All residential, multi-family and commercial customers of the three trash hauling companies that service accounts in Vail must comply with the regulation. Construction sites and special event venues must also comply.

Residential customers with curbside trash and recycling removal service within the Town of Vail must have certified wildlife-resistant containers. All commercial and multi-dwelling trash customers within the Town of Vail must have wildlife-proof containers or must construct a wildlife-resistant enclosure by August 1, 2007.

The containers are available for purchase from local hardware stores including Ace Hardware in Vail and online through Home Depot or may be purchased independently from a list of approved vendors.

For inquiries to Vail Honeywagon, call 970-476-3511 or email requests@vailhoneywagon.com.
For inquiries to Vail Valley Waste, call 970-977-9228 or email info@vailvalleywaste.com.
For inquiries to Waste Management, call 970-926-3396 or email mtolar@wm.com or cestrada@wm.com.

Costs range from $200-$300

Yes. A street address and unit number are required to be permanently affixed to containers that are placed at the curb, alley or public right of way for collection with digits no smaller than two inches in height. The label may be placed on either the top or a side of the container. A black permanent marker is suggested.

All recycling containers are required to be wildlife resistant, employing a latching mechanism on the access door sufficient to defeat attempts by wildlife to enter. Non-attractant recyclables, which include office paper and cardboard that did not previously contain food, do not have to be placed in a wildlife resistant container. Recycling containers greater than twenty (20) cubic yards of capacity are exempt.

Yes. Trash bags may be used to dispose of non-food refuse. However, all food refuse must be protected inside a wildlife-resistant trash container.

A wildlife resistant garbage can is fine as long as it does not get left on the street and remains latched at all times.

The Dawn to Dusk provision remains in effect. This means refuse may only be curbside from 6am to 7pm on your assigned pick up day, year-round. Also, intentional or unintentional feeding of wildlife is prohibited. Make sure your garbage can lid is secured and latched.

The new regulations were enacted by the town to help protect bears and other wildlife from gaining access to neighborhood garbage. In the summer of 2006 Colorado Parks and Wildlife euthanized two Vail area bears that had grown to rely on household garbage and eventually began to enter homes for food. This unfortunate action served as the catalyst for the stricter regulations after other enforcement efforts proved unsuccessful.

Offenders will be subject to a municipal court summons.

Violators are subject to a fine of up to $999 and/or up to 180 days in jail.

Call 970-479-2201 and ask for a Town of Vail police or code enforcement officer.

• Bear Smart Society
• Be Bear Aware Campaign
• Colorado Parks & Wildlife