The Need: Colorado currently recycles just 15% of its waste, less than half the national average, largely because many residents lack access to convenient, affordable curbside recycling services. Meanwhile, Colorado landfills recyclable material that could have been sold for over $100 million and used by businesses to reduce the impact of supply-chain challenges by creating a reliable source of paper, metal, plastics and glass to make new products. Globally there are 40 countries and provinces with over two decades of proven successes with similar Producer Responsibility systems that have resulted in recycling rates of 70-80%. EPR in Colorado will provide the necessary funding to build out the collection, sorting and end market infrastructure in the state to substantially increase recycling rates and sustainably finance recycling for decades to come.
The Solution: Eco-Cycle was one of the lead organizations to develop and pass just the 3rd Producer Responsibility policy for packaging in the US. A Colorado Producer Responsibility Policy (House Bill 22-1355) will significantly shift our low recycling rate and create more equitable access by making it easy for all Coloradans to recycle more plastics, aluminum, glass, cardboard, and printed paper. It will also help the companies that make your products by creating a more resilient domestic supply chain of recycled materials to make new products and reduce reliance on imported materials. This will rapidly improve Colorado’s recycling rate and result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air and water, less waste sent to landfills, and stronger local economies.
Which of the Pact’s 4 Targets does your work help achieve? Colorado’s EPR policy will help drive progress across all the Pact targets, but most substantially on Target 3 because it will substantially increase recycling rates in the state. The policy also requires minimum post-consumer recycled content rates for packaging materials and will help achieve Target 4. In addition, the policy requires an eco-modulation fee structure that will create an economic incentive to use more recyclable and compostable packaging, which helps support Targets 1 & 2.
What makes it particularly smart or circular? This Producer Responsibility policy will make it easy for all Coloradans to recycle more plastics, aluminum cans, glass bottles, cardboard, and printed paper. It will also help businesses by creating a more resilient domestic supply of recycled materials to make new products. This will rapidly improve Colorado’s recycling rate and result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air and water, less waste sent to landfills, and stronger local economies. Colorado is just the third state to adopt EPR and the first state to adopt a fully producer-funded and operated statewide recycling system for all consumer-facing packaging and printed paper.
Producer Responsibility policies have been in effect in 40 countries for decades. Leading Canadian and European programs have recycling rates up to 85%, compared to Colorado’s current rate of 15%.
Results, Benefits, and Outcomes to Date: Colorado is the first state in the country to create a fully producer-funded and operated statewide recycling system for all consumer-facing packaging and printed paper. Colorado’s EPR policy model, our extensive stakeholder work, and our broad coalition of supporters provide a model for other US states and will help accelerate systemic change to US recycling.
More Information: Please visit: www.RecyclingForAllColoradans.org
How are you communicating your success? Eco-Cycle and American Beverage Association issued a joint press release to celebrate the bill’s passage that was covered extensively in the media, see here. Eco-Cycle is actively engaged in several multi-stakeholder dialogues and groups around the country to develop EPR policies, and is also speaking widely on the policy at workshops, conferences, and other gatherings for consumer goods companies, recyclers, local governments, eNGOs, and other stakeholders.
What’s Next? It will take several years to develop and implement the policy, and Eco-Cycle will continue to partner with Recycle Colorado, consumer brands, and other coalition partners to ensure the policy delivers an effective, equitable recycling system that substantially increases recycling rates and the use of recycled content. In addition, Eco-Cycle is committed to sharing our resources and experience with other states to champion EPR as an essential policy solution to transform the US recycling system. Our website, www.RecyclingForAllColoradans.org, has resources and more information to share, and our staff are available to help in other state efforts. Eco-Cycle is actively engaged in several multi-stakeholder dialogues and groups around the country to develop EPR policies, and is also speaking widely on the policy at workshops, conferences, and other gatherings for consumer goods companies, recyclers, local governments, eNGOs, and other stakeholders.
Roadblocks & Lessons Learned: Producer responsibility policies are a systemic change in how recycling is funded and managed, and these policies are only starting to gain traction across the US. There were tremendous obstacles in adopting such a huge policy. There was a lot of misinformation about the policy, there was strong opposition from many consumer goods companies as well as political interests, lack of agreement among stakeholders on the principles of an effective program, and there is little US experience to reference.
Broad stakeholder engagement and coalition building were our keys to success. Recycle Colorado hosted 70 stakeholder meetings with national brands, environmental nonprofits, local governments, state representatives, recyclers, and passionate residents. HB22-1355 bridges the divide between rural and urban communities concerning recycling, which is apparent in a letter of support signed by 65 elected officials statewide. Colorado was the first state to develop a broad coalition of national and state businesses, local governments, environmental advocates, recyclers, and residents to support the policy and in doing so, set a precedent for other states.
Core Team, Partners, & Participants: The bill was championed by a broad coalition of national and state businesses, local governments, environmental advocates, recyclers, and residents, demonstrating unquestionable support for easier, more accessible recycling in Colorado. Several Pact members supported the bill including Major international corporations, including Amcor, American Beverage Association, AMP Robotics, The Coca-Cola Company, Danone North America, Eco-Cycle, Keurig Dr Pepper, L’Oreal USA, Mars, National Stewardship Action Council, Nestle, Product Stewardship Institute, Reckitt, The Recycling Partnership, Unilever North America, Walmart, and World Wildlife Fund supported the bill. See a full list of supporters at www.recyclingforallcoloradans.org.
Time Frame: Eco-Cycle has been building support for strong policy solutions to improve recycling in Colorado since 2017 when we first launched the State of Recycling in Colorado report. In 2020, we passed a bill to study EPR policies for packaging which led to a state agency report on policy recommendations. In August 2021, Eco-Cycle and Recycle Colorado began extensive stakeholder meetings to develop an EPR policy to meet the needs of Colorado.
Quote: “Amid historic supply chain disruptions, rampant climate change, and pervasive plastic pollution, there has never been a more important time to invest in recycling. This policy will fundamentally transform and accelerate recycling in Colorado, and sets a model for the rest of the country” said Kate Bailey, Policy Director at Eco-Cycle and lead author of the bill.
Company/Organization Information: Eco-Cycle started recycling in Colorado in 1976, and today employs over 65 staff and recycles over 60,000 tons of materials each year, making it one of the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit recyclers and a Zero Waste pioneer. Eco-Cycle innovates, implements, and advocates for local and global Zero Waste solutions to foster a more regenerative, equitable, and climate-resilient future. For more information: www.ecocycle.org.