COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Colorado Springs diverts just 17% of its waste from landfills and incinerators, half the national average, according to city data. Residents say cost and limited access are major reasons recycling lags in the city.
I went to Ute Valley Park to ask residents about their recycling experiences. What I heard ranged from lifelong recyclers to people who said they simply have no option at home.
"I think it's easy for me cause I've been doing it my whole life," said Emily Zins, who rents an apartment with recycling. "It's kind of up to the person to do their own separating and then take it on themselves to throw it in the recycling bin."
"What I've noticed is some people just don't really think about it, they just throw recyclable items in the trashcan," said homeowner Ingrid Hibbitts.
Some residents said they either don't have access to recycling or choose not to participate. One resident said only about one in five neighbors have a recycling bin, pointing to cost as the likely reason.
Another renter, Josh Baron, said their household has no recycling option at all.
"We don't even have a recycling option in our house," said Baron. "Just throw them away."
As I was getting ready to leave the park, I came across someone who originally didn't have anything to say about recycling in town, but then she got back to her car and showed me her trunk, full of recyclable items she had been holding onto because she couldn't find a nearby place to drop them off.
Changes are on the way. Starting this year, House Bill 22-135 takes effect, requiring companies that manufacture recyclable packaging to fund a statewide recycling program. The goal is to remove cost barriers for Colorado Springs residents.
But residents and city data suggest that reaching meaningful recycling goals will take more than legislation, it will require more education, more options and more individual effort.
"I understand the cleaning out of the containers, but if it helps the environment," said Hibbitts.
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