Action Projects

A Recycle Colorado action project forms as a result of a round table to work on a 12-month project to progress recycling infrastructure, end markets or policy for recycling. Criteria for forming an action group:

  • Minimum of eight people
  • Two volunteers to serve as project lead and assistant lead
  • Well-defined project that can be completed in 12 months or less
  • Outcome that can be measured and reported

Current Action Projects

Multifamily-Complex Recycling Pilot

Recycle Colorado partnered with Swire Coca- Cola, Safeway Foundation and Coca-Cola North America to develop a six-month pilot program to determine the barriers to installing single-stream recycling in multifamily complexes, how to overcome those barriers and how much material can be captured if single-stream is installed.


 

Glass Collection Pilot

Recycle Colorado hosted a glass round table to discuss why we are not collecting more glass for our closed-loop system here in Colorado. Even though glass is one of only three materials Colorado has the infrastructure and end markets for to make a circular economy, we collect less than 30% of glass from the waste stream. The action group designed a commercial collection pilot to identify the hurdles and barriers to collecting more glass. The pilot placed 40 collection carts in restaurants, bars, retail and other businesses and at more than 20 multifamily properties that don’t have recycling. The collection commenced in November 2018 and ended May 2019. Read the final report: Understanding Glass Collection Barriers for Commercial Entities in Denver, Colorado (PDF)

E-Scrap and Illegal Disposal

This Recycle Colorado action group was a combined effort from an independent round table as well as a round table hosted at the 2018 Summit for Recycling. The group’s action project was to assess the actual amount of illegal dumping of electronic scrap in Colorado. The group designed a survey and distributed it statewide through partner organizations and contacts. Read the final report: Illegal Disposal of Electronics in Colorado (PDF)