Recycle Colorado launched a six-month free recycling pilot for eight apartment buildings in downtown Denver this week. The goal is to increase tenants’ access to recycling, which could contribute significantly to Denver’s waste diversion goal of 50 percent by 2030. The city’s Solid Waste Management Division estimates that approximately one-third of the city’s population lives in multifamily complexes that are not eligible for city recycling collection services. This pilot assists and incentivizes multifamily properties to start their own recycling programs.
Recycle Colorado partnered with Swire Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola North America, the Safeway Foundation, and the City and County of Denver to provide six months of free recycling services to selected apartment complexes in Denver that do not currently have recycling. The project will identify how to overcome barriers to implementing and managing a successful single-stream recycling program for apartments and how much material can be captured if single-stream recycling is installed. “We are actively working with property managers, owners, and tenants to overcome barriers like space constraints, right-sizing for trash and recycling receptacles, and recycling education to ensure a successful program that will continue after the six-month pilot concludes,” said Laura Levesque, senior director at Recycle Colorado.
Industry giants like Coca-Cola Company also recognize the importance of recycling. Coca-Cola is helping communities increase recycling rates as part of its “World Without Waste” initiative with the goal of collecting and recycling the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by 2030.
Recycle Colorado will host volunteer “Recycling Welcome Wagons” to give a warm and friendly face-to-face welcome to new recyclers while delivering free in-home recycling baskets and recycling guidance and tips. For more information, contact Laura Levesque at [email protected].