The US state of Colorado’s recycling and composting performance improved in 2024 but still trails national levels, according to the ninth State of Recycling and Composting in Colorado report from Eco-Cycle and the CoPIRG Foundation.
The study places the state’s overall waste diversion rate at 15.7% in 2024 – remains roughly half the US average.
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Nonetheless, the authors highlight notable advances in organics diversion and the development of circular-economy initiatives.
Diversion of woody materials climbed by close to 125,000t, a 50% increase on 2023.
Aspen reported particularly sharp growth in food-scrap recovery, with composted tonnages rising from 804t in 2023 to 2,600t in 2024.
In Denver, residential composting services were expanded to reach 75,000 households, contributing to a 55% uplift in organics collected.
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By GlobalDataPolicy changes feature prominently in the report, which cites expanded Producer Responsibility programmes for packaging and paper and the adoption of a battery stewardship law that will require producers to finance collection and recycling from 2028.
It also notes broader use of volume-based waste pricing by local authorities.
Longmont’s Universal Recycling Ordinance is credited with lifting commercial diversion from 35% to 59% in 2024.
Infrastructure investment is another key strand, with three new materials recovery facilities underway.
Waste Connections and WM are each constructing plants in the Denver area.
Meanwhile Grand Junction is developing a regional facility through a public–private partnership with Bruin Waste, backed by a $9.8m grant and designed to process up to 40,000 tons of recyclables annually.
The report also highlights new regional coordination efforts and a transportation pilot, run by the Colorado Circular Economy Development Centre, serving 18 communities.
It further notes operational changes at Denver International Airport that increased diversion for participating concessions from 25% to 75%.
Eco-Cycle and CoPIRG Foundation state that despite lagging national benchmarks, recent policies, infrastructure projects and regional programmes indicate accelerating progress towards wider diversion and circular-economy targets.
Colorado State Senator Lisa Cutter stated: “One of my first priorities as a legislator was to address our waste and plastics issues, where I felt there was a significant opportunity to make a positive impact. Both are directly linked to climate change and are also important issues for our youth.
“I am proud to have championed extended producer responsibility for packaging in 2022, which has been a model for several other states seeking to increase recycling rates and improve the system.”
