Zero Waste in Action: Community Case Study #3

In 2006, Boulder’s City Council passed a Zero Waste ordinance and committed to a waste diversion rate of 85% by 2025. Upon adopting curbside recycling and composting programs, in 2014, the city of Boulder saw a significant increase in the amount of waste diverted from landfills. Despite these improvements, Boulder was not seeing strong progress towards its goals, because the commercial sector was lagging behind in increasing their recycling rates. In response, in 2015, Boulder passed a Universal Zero Waste Ordinance (UZWO) to make sure everyone in the community participates equally in waste diversion. Boulder became the third city in the US to require that every home, business and apartment have recycling and composting services.