Colorado received poor grade for recycling rates
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Colorado's recycling rate remains stubbornly low.
Why it matters: The data belies the state's "green" reputation and sets the benchmark for major changes to come.
State of play: Total waste to landfills decreased a fraction over six years to 6.8 million tons, according to a new report from Eco-Cycle, a nonprofit recycler in Colorado.
- When factoring in population growth, the per capita waste rate improved 6%.
By the numbers: The state's diversion level — often referred to as the recycling rate — hit 15.5% in 2023, meaning it went virtually unchanged in the last five years.
- The national recycling and composting rate is double Colorado's at 32%.
Between the lines: Eco-Cycle and CoPIRG, an environmental organization, suggest the state's low rates are unsurprising given just half of Colorado's municipalities with 10,000 or more residents provide recycling to all households.
What's next: A state mandate authorized in 2022 will create a statewide recycling program by collecting fees from most product manufacturers and retailers
- The state's approach is designed to increase the recycling rate to 38% to 44% by 2030 and 52% to 58% by 2035.
- The program's operational plan is due to the public by Feb. 1 with implementation expected in early 2026.
What they're saying: "We're really on the brink of a major change," Randy Moorman at Eco-Cycle told us Monday.
What we're watching: In the meantime, the report's authors are pushing for state and local governments to adopt stricter waste standards, such as Aspen's policy requiring the diversion of food and organic material to composting, and policies like Denver's that charge residents for trash collection based on volume.