Colorado’s $110M Recycling Revolution | Denver News

Colorado just dropped a $110 million recycling bomb in Aurora, designed to process 175,000 tons of trash annually — a massive leap for a state with a shaky recycling track record. Fueling this green revolution? Big brands like Amazon, now footing the bill for their packaging waste under a new statewide Producer Responsibility Program. The state’s Department of Public Health and Environment gave the green light, aiming to bring free curbside recycling to 700,000 homes and businesses by 2035. Inside the high-tech facility: 2 miles of conveyor belts, light-and-magnet sorting tech, and human hands tackling everything from plastic bottles to aluminum cans. Even the trucks run on natural gas, with plans to convert landfill methane into enough power to light up 15,000 homes. Why the rush? Population growth and shifting waste patterns — less newsprint, more cardboard from online shopping — demand smarter, stronger systems. The machines were upgraded to handle heavier cardboard and even tackle pesky plastic shrink-wrap labels. Governor Polis sees this as a win-win: turning environmental accountability into economic growth, with fees tied to waste output and profits, nudging companies to design recyclable packaging. It’s a long game — starting with single-family homes and scaling to everyone by 2035. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b8c7dfa57ed116ac