Posted inBusiness, Environment, News

Colorado has a dismal recycling rate. Could a fee on manufacturers turn things around?

In Boulder, where every resident automatically receives access to recycling and composting services, more than half of the city’s waste is diverted from landfills. But in many Colorado cities and towns, residents who want to recycle must pay extra, or make a trip to recycling centers.  The discrepancy between the relative ease of recycling in […]

Posted inBusiness, Environment, News, Politics and Government

How bad are Coloradans at recycling? Chaffee County contractor closed its free sites over bad actors, slim profits

Angel of Shavano Recycling spent 15 years sifting through Chaffee County’s trash collecting its treasures — plastics, cardboard, paper, newspaper, tin and aluminum. But slim profits and bad behavior by customers led the owner, Mickey Barry, to close the gates on the four free community recycling sites.  “In the recycling industry the drop sites have […]

Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns

Opinion: Why Colorado needs to take notes on recycling from abroad

With all of its 14ers, national parks and ecotourism, Colorado culture is often viewed as one of environmental stewardship that protects the natural wonders that characterize our state. However, our statewide recycling rate (the percentage of total waste generated that was recycled) was an unfortunate 17.2% in 2018 and a more depressing 15.9% in 2019. […]