Keep America Beautiful Recycling Pilot Shows Strong Results at Grand Teton National Park
Collaboration with TerraCycle® and Grand Teton Lodge Company®, with support from the National Park Foundation, helped reduce landfilled waste, improve diversion, and create new recycling options for hard-to-recycle materials
JACKSON, WY, June 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keep America Beautiful, TerraCycle, and Grand Teton Lodge Company today announced strong first-season results from a recycling pilot program at Grand Teton National Park, demonstrating how highly visible recycling infrastructure, public education, and public-private collaboration can help improve waste diversion in one of the nation’s most visited natural spaces.
Launched in 2025 with support from a grant from the National Park Foundation, the pilot introduced a 20-foot recycling station at Colter Bay Village, along with new collection options for hard-to-recycle materials, fishing line and cigarette butts. The project was designed to make recycling simpler and more accessible for park visitors while reducing landfill dependence and supporting responsible stewardship in the park.
Initial study data suggest the pilot contributed to a reduction in landfilled waste, even as overall park waste increased and Grand Teton National Park experienced rising visitation. The park reached its highest non-COVID-impacted visitation peak in 2025, with visitation trending upward by over 170,000 additional visitors.
Despite the increased number of visitors, the recycling pilot was associated with a 15% increase in waste being recycled or composted, alongside a decrease in waste going to the landfill. The campground where the recycling station was installed, Colter Bay Village, also saw significantly greater reductions in landfill waste than other campgrounds at Grand Teton National Park, more than six times greater reduction than a comparison site in the park.
“National parks are among America’s most treasured places, and they also face very real waste and recycling challenges, especially as visitation grows,” said David Wheeler, Vice President, National Partnerships at Keep America Beautiful. “This pilot shows that when we make recycling easier, more visible and more intuitive, people respond. It is an important first step in expanding practical recycling solutions that help protect beautiful places like Grand Teton, and this approach can be adapted for other public spaces across the country.”
The centerpiece of the pilot was a bear-resistant recycling station with clearly marked slots and easy-to-read signage to help visitors sort traditional recyclables such as aluminum cans, glass bottles, and cardboard. Those materials were recycled through Grand Teton National Park’s municipal recycling service. The station – constructed out of a converted shipping container – also created new diversion pathways for hard-to-recycle materials including snack and candy wrappers, rigid plastic, and flexible plastic packaging.
Through TerraCycle’s work, more than 3,400 pounds of hard-to-recycle materials were collected at the recycling station and were recycled. Based on standard product mass, that amount represents tens of thousands of hard-to-recycle items, many of them plastic, recycled into raw materials used to manufacture new products, rather than sent to a landfill.
“This collaboration shows what is possible when recycling solutions are designed around real-world visitor behavior,” said Eric Ascalon, Global Director of Community Affairs at TerraCycle. “Hard-to-recycle materials are often left out of traditional systems, but this pilot created a practical way to collect and recycle them in a remote, high-traffic environment. We are proud to help demonstrate a model that can be strengthened and expanded.”
In addition to the main recycling station, the pilot included three dedicated bins near fishing access points for used fishing line and 30 cigarette butt recycling receptacles to help address one of the most common forms of litter.
“This project gave visitors greater and easily accessible recycling options which supports our ongoing commitment to reducing landfill waste and lessening the impacts to our forests and natural habitats,” said Gill Beck, Director of Hotel Operations at Vail Resorts, which owns Grand Teton Lodge Company. “The first season results at Colter Bay Village are really encouraging and provide valuable insight into how together we can continue to improve recycling and waste diversion in a busy park setting.”
The pilot also underscored the importance of education and convenience in improving recycling behavior. The highly visible installation helped visitors better understand what could be recycled, where materials should go, and why proper disposal matters in a sensitive natural environment.
While the first season showed meaningful progress, the partners noted that continued work is needed to ensure the model is sustainable at Grand Teton National Park and to identify how it could be adapted for other National Park Service units and public lands.
“The National Park Foundation is proud to support innovative solutions that help protect national parks and improve the visitor experience,” said Ashley McEvoy, Director, Programs and Partnerships, at the National Park Foundation. “This pilot reflects the kind of collaboration that can help parks reduce waste, engage visitors, and advance long-term stewardship.”
The Grand Teton recycling pilot represents a successful first step in expanding circularity and recycling innovation within the National Park System. By combining infrastructure, education, specialized recycling solutions and cross-sector partnerships, the project offers a structured and scalable model for reducing landfill dependence and supporting cleaner, more sustainable public spaces.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful® is the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization. For more than 70 years, Keep America Beautiful has worked to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beautify their communities. Through its national network of affiliates and partners, Keep America Beautiful supports litter prevention, recycling, beautification and community greening efforts across the country. More information can be found at www.kab.org. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
About TerraCycle
TerraCycle® is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 18 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and households, across a wide range of accessible programs and has raised millions for schools and nonprofits since its founding 25 years ago. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, visit www.terracycle.com.
About Grand Teton Lodge Company
Grand Teton Lodge Company® (GTLC.com) operates lodging, dining, retail and recreation services in Grand Teton National Park and, along with its parent company, Vail Resorts, is committed to supporting sustainable operations that protect the park’s natural resources and visitor experience.
Attachments
McCall Vrydaghs Keep America Beautiful (203) 659-3000 communications@kab.org
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