SALT LAKE CITY — What started out as a small idea to beautify one of city’s glass collection sites has become a highly visible statement piece in Liberty Park.
The new dumpster, unveiled Nov. 18, features a hand-painted, wrap-around mural of Utah red rock arches by local artist Josh Scheuerman.
The piece brings a splash of public art to a frequently used recycling location, trading the basic blue of the original dumpster for a bright mural paying tribute to Utah’s iconic natural landscapes.
“As a native Utahn, I feel responsible for the wild and natural places,” Scheuerman said. “I believe it’s vitally important for new technology and information to help increase recycling alongside local art.”
Momentum Recycling, the city’s glass recycling program contractor, helped residents divert nearly 1,550 tons of glass from the landfill in 2019. The company operates a local glass recycling facility that processes glass from across the region into various sizes of glass cullet. The material is used to make fiberglass insulation at a Utah facility, produce new glass containers, and many different products for construction purposes.
Residents can take their glass to one of 18 locations throughout the city or subscribe to monthly curbside pickup for $7 per month. Curbside customers can downsize their garbage cans from the standard 90-gallon size to either a 60- or 40-gallon container to save money on their overall bill. A map of glass recycling locations can be found at utah.momentumrecycling.com/recycling-services-homes/#dropoff.
Salt Lake City and Momentum plan to put a mural on at least one other dumpster in the coming months, with the goal of expanding to additional drop-off locations in partnership with local artists if possible.