RECYCLING TRANSFORMATION is coming to Colorado

In May 2022, Governor Jared Polis signed into law the Colorado Producer Responsibility for Recycling Act, HB22-1355. The Act seeks to transform the state’s recycling landscape by making producers responsible for the end-of-life management of their packaging materials and paper products.

Currently, Coloradans and local governments shoulder the full cost of recycling packaging, paper and printed materials. Colorado’s EPR law shifts financial responsibility for the recycling of these items to producers. This will result in reduced solid waste management costs for Colorado governments. 

The law is intended to internalize the costs and therefore encourage producers to create a more efficient and effective system, whether that be through product design, collection, processing, or end market development.

 

How Producer Responsibility Benefits Local Governments

A statewide Producer Responsibility policy for packaging and paper will provide Coloradans with convenient, easy access to recycling for common materials such as plastic bottles, aluminum cans, glass bottles, cardboard, and printed paper. This will greatly benefit Colorado’s cities, towns, counties and tribes by:

  • Providing recycling to residents at no cost to residents or local government.

  • Expanding recycling to underserved multi-family buildings and rural areas.

  • Saving local governments money by covering 100% of the cost of the recycling including collection, transportation and processing of materials.

  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and plastic pollution.

  • Retaining municipalities’ right to choose their level of involvement in recycling services.

  • Making recycling easier by creating a common list of materials that can be recycled throughout the state.

Local governments and service providers that choose to participate in the program will be reimbursed for 100% of the eligible net service costs of provided recycling services as required by the Act. Colorado’s waste service providers and government jurisdictions that elect to participate in the program will no longer charge consumers for recycling services that are being provided on behalf of the PRO.

Producer Responsibility means savings for local governments

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