COLORADO (KOAA) — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has approved the Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling.
This marks a step towards free recycling for every Colorado household.
The program will shift costs from residents and local governments to the companies that produce packages. CDHPE says that the program will create incentives for companies to design more sustainable packages.
“This plan reflects the work of countless partners across the full recycling system – from the companies designing packaging to the facilities turning recycled materials into new products. By expanding convenient recycling access, encouraging smarter packaging, and strengthening in-state end markets, Colorado is building a system that works better for communities, businesses, and our environment.”
CDPHE says that Coloradans in multi-unit housing or rural areas typically lack access to recycling, and this program will give these residents access to no-cost recycling to approximately 700,000 households.
Additionally, the economic benefits from this program are as follows;
- An estimated $31 million in additional annual wages
- Roughly 7,900 new direct and indirect green jobs
- Investments to build a circular economy in Colorado
By 2035, CDPHE projects that the program will avoid 1.3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which is equivalent to 278,000 cars off the road every year, and reduce landfill waste by 410,000 tons.
The program is a direct result of the passing of HB22-1355, signed in 2022, which requires the executive director of the CDPHE to create and manage a program that provides recycling services to Coloradans.
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