Governor Polis & First Gentleman Reis Celebrate Colorado Recycles Week
DENVER - Today, Governor Jared Polis and First Gentleman Marlon Reis celebrated Colorado Recycles Week by highlighting the milestones the state has reached in building a more sustainable future while also noting the needed changes ahead to preserve Colorado’s beauty. Governor Polis and First Gentleman Reis were joined by Representative Lisa Cutter and Randy Moorman, Director of Community Campaigns at Eco-Cycle.
“Colorado has made progress in increasing the rate of recycling and composting across the state and we know we can do even better,” said Governor Polis. “Recycling plays a critical part in Colorado’s economy by creating new jobs, saving people money, and preserving the Colorado we love. As we mark Recycles Week, we are also full speed ahead on making more improvements to make Colorado cleaner and more sustainable for generations to come.”
“Recycling is more than just the disposal of items, it's also a testament to how much we care about the communities we live in and how we want to preserve the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the natural landscape we recreate in,” said First Gentleman Reis. “Colorado is making strides in building a more sustainable community, but there’s more work to be done. I applaud the legislature, local leaders, and every Coloradan who has done their part to recycle more, waste less, and build a sustainable future.”
Recycling, reusing and remanufacturing create more than 86,000 jobs, generating over $8.7 billion in economic benefits in Colorado every year. Compared to landfills, recycling creates nine times more jobs and generates a greater economic return.
Governor Polis has declared the third week of November “Colorado Recycles Week” to highlight the importance of recycling for our entire state.
Colorado recognizes the importance of recycling not just for its economic benefits but also for the environmental benefits recycling yields. This year, Governor Polis was proud to sign the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (HB21-1162) which will reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags and single-use styrofoam containers. This legislation will also help local communities enact their own policies that aim to limit wasteful packaging.
Boulder, Loveland, and Fort Collins are some of the local communities leading the way in recycling. These cities have created recycling programs that make it convenient to recycle and also ensure residents and businesses are educated on what can and can’t be recycled. These strategies have been implemented in other cities recently, including Denver, which has led to the amount of compost collected at Denver’s drop-off sites growing by 650%, and the amount of recyclable materials collected by more than 100%.
“It’s important that we all work together to create a recycling system that really works for everyone. We aren’t necessarily the green state we want to be yet, but we can be. I’m excited to have many supporters and partners in this process to make a better, more beautiful Colorado a reality,” said Representative Lisa Cutter.
Randy Moorman, Director of Community Campaigns at Eco-Cycle, joined the Governor and First Gentleman to discuss Eco-Cycles latest report on the state of recycling and composting in Colorado. Eco-Cycle started Colorado’s first recycling program over 44 years ago, and is now one of the largest non-profit recyclers in the country, working to innovate, implement and advocate for Zero Waste solutions to foster a more sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient future.
“It is important that we build upon this sustainable legislative track record and do more to improve upon waste diversion. Recycling and composting are very important to that goal and to Colorado’s solutions to reduce climate emissions, produce local green jobs, and conserve natural resources. Now is the critical and optimal time to build Colorado’s recycling and composting economy,” said Randy Moorman, Director of Community Campaigns at Eco-Cycle
View today’s press conference.