UPDATE June 28, 2022

Denver City Council voted to change Denver’s trash service to volume-based pricing aka pay-as-you-throw by a 8 – 5 vote.  The second vote was held on Monday, June 27  following a courtesy public hearing.

Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer provided this helpful follow up to the vote to explain her support of the change. Please share CW Sawyer’s message with your networks and neighbors who have questions about the change.

Jessica Gibbs contributed this article to Denverite regarding the change.

Ryan Call, Eco-Cycle’s Campaigns Coordinator explains,

“The policy will expand waste services for the 180,000 single-family homes and multi-family housing buildings with seven or fewer units that have their waste collected by the City and County of Denver by:

• Providing weekly recycling collection instead of biweekly collection at no additional cost;
• Providing weekly compost collection at no additional cost;
• Creating a “volume-based pricing” or “pay-as-you-throw” model for trash collection;
• Creating a first-in-the-nation instant rebate program to help low-income households pay for trash collection services.

An Expanded Waste Services model has proven to be an effective way to minimize the amount of trash sent to landfills in thousands of communities across the nation. It will provide the opportunity for the city to increase its landfill diversion rate, create more green jobs, and employ a proven climate solution while ensuring all Denver residents have access to more efficient waste services.

The passage of this policy would not have been possible without the coalition of businesses, city council champions, environmental advocates, recyclers, and residents like YOU who supported and advocated for this policy. THANK YOU for your efforts to help create a more sustainable future for Denver!

Gratefully,
Ryan Call, Eco-Cycle Campaigns Coordinator”

Again, we encourage you to visit the City’s Expanded Waste Proposal page which includes a FAQ section with answers to questions posed by residents regarding this proposal.

UPDATE June 20, 2022

Denver City Council voted to approve the pay-as-you-throw aka expanded waste services proposal by a 11 -2 vote.  The second vote and a courtesy public hearing will be held on Monday, June 27 at the final reading.  The Solid Waste division’s goal is to implement the program in January 2023.

Coverage of the proposal by The Denver Gazette and Denverite

Frequently Asked Questions Here

Feb 22, 2022 – The City and County of Denver is exploring an expansion to residential waste services that would provide weekly recycling and composting for all customers. To cover the costs of these services, including labor and regular equipment replacement, Denver is proposing a fee based on the trash cart size that residents would select.  Please visit the City’s Expanded Waste Proposal page which includes a FAQ section which may answer some questions posed by residents when considering this proposal.

Our Association is a member of INC, the umbrella organization for Denver’s Registered Neighborhood Organizations.  This month INC hosted a meeting on the issue of Sustainability and Climate Change which include a presentation on this Expanded Waste Services Proposal.  Here is a link to that meeting – the section of the meeting addressing the Proposal at the 1:03:29 mark.  

Learn more about Denver’s Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency work here.