A new report shows Colorado’s recycling rate is still less than half the national average, but residents produced slightly less municipal waste in 2023, offering a small bit of hope to recycling and compost advocates.
The Colorado Public Interest Research Group and Eco-Cycle, two environmental nonprofits focused on waste management, released the eighth edition of their annual recycling scorecard on Thursday. While the groups can’t yet explain the slight drop in the overall waste stream, they said the reduction is still good news.
“This is the first time we’ve seen this in our data, and we have to do a lot more research to see what might be the driving force behind the reduction,” said Randy Moorman, the director of community campaigns for Eco-Cycle, said at a press conference in Denver. “It’s a small reduction and obviously we want to see more.”
The report analyzes data from the state health department and local municipalities. In 2023, it found Colorado sent nearly 6,900,000 tons of municipal solid waste to landfills, recycling centers and compost facilities. That’s a 3 percent decrease from 2018 when the state started fully tracking waste and recycling levels.
The drop also occurred despite Colorado’s rising population. Per capita, the total tonnage of municipal waste decreased from 6.8 pounds per person per day to 6.4 pounds per person per day, marking a 6 percent decline from 2018 to 2023.
Moorman is now trying to figure out what’s behind the decline and whether it’s a long-term trend. Colorado fully banned plastic bags and polystyrene takeout containers at the start of 2024, so any impact from the policy isn’t measured in the data covering 2023. It’s also possible the drop is due to nationwide economic factors, but Moorman said inconsistent data tracking practices in different states make it tough to identify a broader pattern.
Colorado, however, hasn’t seen any improvement in its poor recycling rate.
While overall waste has decreased, the state only diverted 15.5 percent of waste away from landfills in 2023, less than half the national average of 32.2 percent. The rate also marks a decline from a 17.2 percent recycling rate in 2018.
Some Colorado communities are also far better than others at keeping waste out of landfills. Boulder, for example, boasts a state-leading 52 percent recycling and composting rate for both its residential and commercial waste streams. Aspen keeps 41 percent of its waste out of landfills, the report shows.
The report notes many of those communities have adopted similar policies, like universal curbside recycling and “pay-as-you-throw” programs, which charge residents higher rates for larger trash bins.
Environmental advocates are also hopeful an upcoming state initiative will help boost recycling. In 2022, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill to authorize a new producer responsibility program, which will require large manufacturers to pay a fee based on the type of packaging for products sold in Colorado. The revenue will then help cover the cost of recycling programs for rural residents and apartment dwellers, who often lack a way to recycle cardboard boxes, aluminum cans or any other material.
At the press conference, First Gentlemen Marlon Reis said the law will provide free recycling access to all Colorado residents when it launches in 2026.
“All this work is to preserve the way of life that, as Coloradans, we all treasure. Our glorious outdoors, our fresh air and water, and the dazzling tapestry of plants and animals with whom we share our state,” Reis said.
