April showers (or snow) bring spring flowers—and for many of us, cleaning scours. But clearing the clutter from your home doesn’t have to be toxic, wasteful, or contribute to climate change. Here are some practical tips for spring cleaning, Zero Waste style.

Reuse First: Give Your Stuff a Second Life (Donations, Repairing, Sharing & More)

So much of what we toss still has plenty of life left in it. Even though we don’t want it anymore, someone else likely does. Before anything goes in the trash, think of reuse first.

Have you checked out the online Reuse Hub yet? Reuse is now easier than ever!

This Earth Month (which is all of April), Eco-Cycle and the City of Boulder are thrilled to announce the launch of the Reuse Hub for Boulder and Beyond—a new interactive platform making it easier than ever to find reuse, refill, and repair options across the Northern Front Range. At the heart of the Hub is the Routes to Reuse Map, a searchable map connecting you to hundreds of local reuse-focused businesses, from Zero Waste bulk grocery stores and repair shops to thrift stores and lending libraries. Businesses can also join the free Reuse Hub Business Network for visibility, incentives, and connections to fellow reuse companies. Start exploring at ecocycle.org/reuse-hub!

Repair Before You Replace: Fix It Instead of Throwing It Away

Before you toss or recycle that appliance, toy, garment, or gadget, consider repairing it instead. Extending a product’s life keeps its raw materials in use longer, reducing the need for new resource extraction. It’s one of the most impactful things you can do for both the environment and your wallet.

Search the Routes to Reuse Map within the Reuse Hub for many repair services throughout the region.

Recycle Hard-to-Recycle Items in Boulder

If something is truly beyond repair and can’t be reused, check whether a specialized recycling drop-off center will take it before sending it to the landfill. For example, the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd in Boulder, accepts items such as appliances, electronics, mattresses, ceramics, books, and even solar panels. Before you visit, check out the full list of accepted materials with over two dozen items and applicable fees. 

For other items, Eco-Cycle’s A to Z Recycling Guide helps you search by material to find the right recycling solution.

Take Paints, Solvents, Batteries, etc. to the Hazardous Materials Facility

If your spring cleaning takes you to places like under the kitchen sink or out to the garage, you may turn up hazardous cleaners, solvents, motor oils, or pesticides in need of proper disposal. Please don’t pour them down the drain or into storm drains. The Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility is open to all Boulder County, Broomfield, and Erie residents, Wednesday through Saturday, 8:30 am–4:00 pm. Check their website before you go for a full list of accepted materials.

Switch to Nontoxic Cleaning Products

Zero Waste goes beyond reducing landfill waste—it also means limiting toxic chemicals in your home and environment. Many conventional cleaners and pest deterrents can harm people, indoor air quality, and ecosystems.

With just a few basic and inexpensive ingredients you may already have, such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon, you can scrub, scour, deodorize, disinfect, and cleanse your entire home without the toxicity of conventional store-bought cleaners. And they’re likely far less expensive. Check out our earth-friendly cleaning recipes here.

When shopping, watch out for greenwashing—many products labeled “green” or “natural” don’t meet meaningful standards. Tools like the Environmental Working Group’s safe cleaning products database (also available as a free app) helps you vet products before you buy.

Organic Gardening: Reduce Pesticides and Build Healthy, More Drought-Resistant Soil

Government testing shows that glyphosate—the most widely used pesticide in the US—is detectable in more than 80% of Americans tested, including both children and adults. This spring, consider organic approaches instead.

Applying finished compost to your lawn and garden is one of the simplest and most effective tools: it enriches soil, helps retain moisture, and can naturally suppress weeds by improving soil health and reducing the conditions weeds thrive in.

Our Microbe Brew Compost Tea is back!

It must be spring because Eco-Cycle’s Microbe Brew Compost Tea is back for another growing season! The tea infuses your soil with beneficial microorganisms, helping create soil that retains more moisture, yields more plentiful vegetation, and grows more pest-resistant plants! 

Microbe Brew Compost Tea is available for purchase at the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) window located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd. in Boulder.

Start Small, Think Big: Every Zero Waste Choice Adds Up

Spring cleaning is a chance to reset—not just your home, but your relationship with what you consume and discard. Start with one swap, one repair, or one new way to care for our soil. Over time, these small shifts add up to a cleaner home, a healthier community, and a more resilient future. Happy spring cleaning—the Zero Waste way!

The post Spring Cleaning Tips: How to Clean Your Home the Zero Waste Way appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

This Earth Month (which begins today!) there’s something new to celebrate! Eco-Cycle—marking its fiftieth anniversary this year—has teamed up with the City of Boulder to launch the Reuse Hub for Boulder and Beyond, a powerful new online platform designed to make reuse, refill, and repair easier than ever—from Fort Collins to Boulder County, and down to Denver and Colorado Springs.

It’s your go-to guide for all things reuse—and saving money while you’re at it!

A Fresh Tool for a Growing Movement

The United States represents just 5% of the world’s population but consumes about 25% of its natural resources. Our current “take-make-waste” system extracts materials, turns them into short-lived products, and discards them—wasting resources, energy, water, and economic opportunity.

Reuse is the next frontier of circularity. By switching from disposable products to reusables, we can create a new system of refill and return—keeping materials in use longer, reducing pollution, supporting local jobs, and often saving money. 

For Shoppers: Find Refill Groceries, Repair Services, Thrift Shops, Secondhand Stores, Used Furniture and More

At the heart of the platform is the Routes to Reuse Map, an interactive, searchable tool that helps you quickly answer a simple question: Where can I reuse, refill, repair, or share—right now?

The Routes to Reuse Map connects you to hundreds of options, including:

• Refill and Zero Waste grocery stores
• Secondhand shops and creative reuse centers
• Gear repair and outdoor reuse services
• Home and building material reuse outlets
• Online reused product platforms
• Repair services and community sharing networks

Whether you’re looking to fix a broken item, restock your pantry without packaging, or shop secondhand, the Routes to Reuse Map makes it easy to find what you need.

For Reuse Businesses: Leading the Way

The Reuse Hub isn’t just for shoppers—it’s also a free resource for businesses. Restaurants, retailers, and service providers can join the Reuse Hub Business Network at no cost, and gain:

• Visibility on the Routes to Reuse Map
• Access to incentives and technical support
• Connections to other reuse-focused businesses
• Tools to help communicate reuse options to customers

The Hub also helps businesses understand, and communicate to customers, that reuse is already supported under Colorado’s food code, including allowing customer-provided containers for leftovers and reusable drink vessels.

Built on Fifty Years of Partnership

This launch builds on a longstanding collaboration between Eco-Cycle and the City of Boulder. Over the past five decades, our partnership has helped make Boulder a national leader in Zero Waste—from rolling out one of the first curbside recycling programs in the country to the creation of the Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials. The Reuse Hub is the next chapter—one that expands that leadership across the entire region.

Start Exploring Today!

The Reuse Hub for Boulder and Beyond is live! Explore the map, discover local reuse options, and start building reuse into your daily routine. And if you know a business that should be included, you can submit your suggestions directly through the Hub.

This Earth Month, reuse just became easier than ever!

The post Eco-Cycle and the City of Boulder Launch a New Online Reuse Hub for Earth Month appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Recycling can look completely different depending on where you live—but in some places, that is starting to change. States like Colorado are launching a precedent-setting policy that shows what universal, equitable recycling access can look like.

Across states and thousands of highway miles, trash cans are easy to find. Recycling bins are not. 

Recycling is promoted as a shared civic responsibility. But the infrastructure tells a different story. In many places, access to recycling remains inconsistent and fragmented. While recycling feels like a basic public service, in much of the United States, whether something can be recycled often depends less on your intention and more on your location. 

A Patchwork Recycling System

The US has no federal recycling program, no national list of universally accepted materials, no regulations around the use of the recycling symbol, and no guarantee of recycling access. Whether a recycling program exists—and what you can actually put in the bin—is determined locally.

In Boulder County, for example, the Cities of Boulder and Longmont have Zero Waste ordinances requiring recycling, compost, and trash service for every home and business. Residents recycle widely, and the system is designed with sustainability and strong end-markets in mind. But drive two hours south to Colorado Springs, and you’ll find there is no local recycling ordinance or municipal curbside recycling program. If you want to recycle, you must pay a private hauler or drive to a drop-off site.

This is not unusual. Step across a city or county line almost anywhere in the US, and the recycling rules change.

Why What You Can Recycle Changes So Much

Even amongst places where recycling exists, what’s accepted can vary widely. That’s because every recycling program is shaped by:

• Local priorities, such as reducing landfill waste, supporting climate goals, or boosting participation.

• Available end markets, which means whether there is a buyer for recycled materials nearby, and whether shipping to that buyer is affordable.

• Sorting machinery and facility design, which depend on local policies, end markets, funding, and material streams. 

A Game-Changer for Colorado’s Recycling: Producer Responsibility

Change that will address these inconsistencies is coming to Colorado—and it will make recycling easier, more consistent, and more accessible for everyone in the state.

In 2022, Eco-Cycle helped draft and champion a statewide Producer Responsibility for Packaging and Paper law that will provide universal recycling access to every Colorado household, with rollout beginning this year. Under the new law, recycling will be funded by the manufacturers that create packaging—not by local taxpayers.

The law also establishes statewide recycling guidelines, replacing the patchwork of recycling guidelines that previously varied from one community to the next. That means clearer expectations, less confusion, and a system designed to work for all Coloradans.

Colorado’s New Recycling System Supports a Circular Economy

Colorado’s Producer Responsibility law supports a recycling system that is accessible, consistent, and funded—building toward a more circular economy designed to prevent waste and keep natural resources in use. Key elements of this new system include:

1. Universal Access to Recycling

Every household should have curbside or convenient drop-off options, and recycling facilities need upgrades that can process common packaging materials.

2. Producer Responsibility

Manufacturers, not taxpayers, should fund the recycling system required for their packaging. This creates an incentive for companies to design packaging that’s recyclable, reusable, or compostable.

3. Reuse, Refill, and Repair Infrastructure

Reducing waste at the source—through reusable packaging, refill systems, repair services, and durable products—must become part of the mainstream system.

4. Safer, Smarter Packaging

Toxic additives and unnecessary and problematic products should be eliminated, packaging must be designed for recovery, and industries must create recycling markets for their own products. 

State Action Drives Change on the Federal Level

Federal policies like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act would accelerate this shift nationwide. Meanwhile, state producer responsibility laws—like Colorado’s—are laying the groundwork for what an accessible and equitable recycling system can look like. But recycling shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code. With smart policies, fair funding, and needed infrastructure, recycling can become a consistent, reliable service across the country and a critical, domestic supply chain for our economy. 

The post Why Recycling Looks So Different Across the US appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

From mattresses to glassware, discover five surprising items you can recycle at the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). 

Ever had an item that you knew couldn’t be recycled in your curbside bin, but still wondered, Can this be recycled . . . somewhere?

That somewhere just might be the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). This first-of-its-kind drop-off recycling and reuse center accepts electronics, appliances, some hard-to-recycle plastics, and other items that don’t belong in your curbside bin—but don’t have to go to the landfill.

Located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd. in Boulder and open Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., CHaRM makes responsible recycling simple. Here are five items you might be surprised to learn can be recycled at CHaRM:

1. Mattresses

Eco-Cycle partners with Spring Back Colorado to recycle mattresses and box springs of all sizes. After collection at the CHaRM, mattresses are transported to Spring Back’s facility in Commerce City where each mattress is carefully deconstructed into its core components by Spring Back staff. Foam and fibers are reused to create carpet padding, while metal is recovered and recycled into new products like kitchen appliances and automotive parts.

Fee: $3 facility fee for cars; $30 per mattress or box spring (covers collection and labor costs) 

2. Ceramics and Porcelain

Planning a bathroom remodel? Don’t send that old toilet to the landfill! The CHaRM accepts porcelain toilets, sinks, and urinals as well as ceramic materials like tile and pottery. These materials are crushed into sand and used as road base.

Please make sure all items are free of biohazards and thoroughly cleaned. Save money by removing all fixtures before dropping items off.

Fees:

• Toilets, sinks, and urinals without fixtures: $5 each
• With fixtures attached: $25 each
• General ceramics: $0.10 per pound
• $3 facility fee charged per vehicle

3. Textiles

The CHaRM accepts clean, reusable clothing and paired, reusable shoes. Items are donated to Pig + Pearl, a local thrift store that supports reuse and waste reduction.

Please note that underwear, bathing suits, and socks are not accepted.

Fee: $3 facility fee only, no additional charge. 

4. Paper to Be Shredded 

Please avoid shredding your paper as it shortens the life of paper fibers (meaning they can be recycled fewer times). But if you do need to shred, take your sensitive documents to the CHaRM intact. You’ll place the paper into a secured, locked bin. Our partner, Altitude DocuShred, will shred the paper onsite to become recycled into products like brown paper bags, toilet paper, tissue, and newsprint.

Fee: $3 facility fee for cars; $5 per file box of shredded paper

5. Glassware

Glass bottles and jars belong in your curbside recycling bin, but other glass doesn’t. Drinking glasses, tableware, vases, and candle holders have different melting temperatures and have to be handled separately. That’s where the CHaRM comes in. We accept these glass items so they can be properly recycled instead of landfilled.

PLEASE NOTE: Pyrex and other heat-resistant glass cookware is not accepted. They’re manufactured to withstand much higher temperatures than everyday glass (which is why they survive the oven)—and that difference makes them incompatible with the recycling process.

Fee: $3 facility fee; No additional charge

The CHaRM accepts dozens of hard-to-recycle household items! See a full list of what we accept (and related fees) here.

Know Before You Go (Hours, Fees, Location)

The CHaRM is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A $3 facility fee is charged per visitor arriving in a motorized vehicle (bikes are free!). 

We are located along Recycle Row at 6400 Arapahoe Rd in Boulder,  colocated with Resource Central. 

If you have any questions about what you can recycle and where, check out Eco-Cycle’s A–Z Recycling Guide (also available as an app)! 

The post Five Surprising Items You Can Recycle at the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Looking to reduce plastic use this Valentine’s Day? Learn why plastic pollution, single-use packaging, and misleading recycling labels are red flags—and how to make more sustainable swaps.

Valentine’s Day is all about love—but it’s also a great time to rethink relationships that aren’t serving us anymore. You know the type: they promise ease, but create long-term problems and stick around far too long. 

Yes, we’re talking about plastics.

Plastic has been our clingy partner since the 1950s, when mass production took off. Since then, global plastics production has skyrocketed from roughly 2 million tons a year to over 450 million tons today. About 40% of that plastic is made for single-use packaging—used once, then discarded.

This Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about how to move on from this toxic relationship by recognizing plastic’s biggest red flags.

Your Values Don’t Match Up

Plastic doesn’t share your values—especially if you care about people and the planet.

Upstream, plastics production relies heavily on fossil fuels and toxic chemicals, disproportionately impacting communities located near fracking sites, refineries, and manufacturing plants. Downstream, plastic waste floods waterways, harms wildlife, and burdens waste systems. It’s estimated that 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. That’s not a misunderstanding—that’s fundamental incompatibility.

Breakup tip: Choose products with minimal or no packaging, and support companies that provide refill or reuse systems or take-back programs.

Gaslighting

You see the little triangle with a number in it on the bottom of a plastic container— the “chasing arrows” symbol—and think, “It’s recyclable! I’m doing the right thing.”

But that chasing arrows symbol identifies the type of plastic resin used in the product. That is it. It doesn’t mean the item can be recycled in your bin, or that it’s made of recycled material.

Breakup tip: Learn your local recycling guidelines instead of looking for symbols. When possible, choose items without packaging, or those packed in infinitely recyclable materials, like aluminum or glass.

They’re Overbearing

Plastic shows up fast and refuses to leave. A plastic bag might be used for 10 minutes, a coffee cup lid for mere seconds—yet plastic waste can take 20 to 500 years to break down. Fleeting usefulness, lifelong consequences.

And even then, plastic never really disappears. It just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, lingering long after its usefulness is gone.

Breakup tip: Replace disposables with reusables—including a sturdy tote bag, a reusable water bottle and travel mug, and containers for leftover food.

They Ignore Boundaries

Once discarded, plastics break down into microplastics that can end up everywhere: in soil, oceans, food systems, and even the air we breathe. Microplastics have been found in seafood, salt, drinking water, and even human blood. While research is still evolving, early studies suggest potential links between microplastics and inflammation as well as other health concerns.

Even when we try to get rid of plastic, it doesn’t respect the breakup. It travels down rivers and across oceans, showing up in places humans never intended—including remote beaches, Arctic ice, deep-sea trenches, and even rainfall in the Rocky Mountains. 

Breakup tip: Reduce contact between your food and plastic containers by switching to glass or stainless-steel containers, skipping plastic wrap, and avoiding heating food in plastic containers. Make sure your plastic ends up in the correct bin (recycling or trash) to avoid plastic pollution in the environment.  

Falling for Better Alternatives

This Valentine’s Day, fall for materials—and habits—that actually show up for you: durable, reusable, and aligned with your values.  

• Know the red flags: Steer clear of plastics labeled #3, #6, and #7, along with black plastic food containers. They’re more toxic to produce and are challenging to recycle.
• Stop entertaining short-term flings: For single-use plastics like straws, utensils, take-out containers, and bags, say no when possible, and look for products with minimal or no packaging.
• Look for long-term compatibility: When you can, commit to reusables or products packaged in glass or aluminum instead of plastic. Unlike plastic, these materials are infinitely recyclable—no messy endings!
• Try a relationship that (re)fills you up: Buying food, soaps, cleaners, and other household items at bulk or refill stores cuts waste, saves money, and skips unnecessary packaging.

Breaking up with plastic doesn’t have to be dramatic. Like any healthy breakup, it’s about clarity, boundaries . . . and choosing better next time.

Need more tips? Check out our How to Quit Plastics Guide and learn how to ditch plastics for good!

The post How to Break Up with Plastics appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

This New Year, set an intention to become a thoughtful consumer and avoid buying into a system that encourages you to spend money on stuff you don’t really need.

After the rush and excitement of the holidays, many of us look to this time of year as an opportunity to reset ourselves, our space, and our goals for the year. While everyone loves a good eco-resolution, this is also a great time to consider where and how you plan to invest your financial resources this year, and what that might mean for you and for the planet.

The constant barrage of advertisements we face in the Information Age are designed to trick us into looking to fast fashion and other costly quick fixes to whatever ails us. But the urge to buy is often rooted in something deeper—like boredom, stress, loneliness, or emotional fatigue. When you sense that impulse, try to refocus your energies toward solutions that bring long-term fulfillment instead of the temporary dopamine hit that comes with making a purchase. 

The convenience of online shopping not only influences us to buy, but also hides many inconvenient truths, including that returns are often not resold as you might think. Instead, they are often trashed, contributing to the global fashion waste crisis—the industry now generates about 92 million tons of textile waste each year, much of which isn’t recycled and ends up in landfills or incinerated, burdening waste systems in the Global South where discarded clothing from developed markets overwhelms local environments and communities. 

And a “good deal” is not always a good thing when customers are rarely the ones carrying the true social and environmental costs of what they buy. Documentaries such as The Story of Stuff (2007) and Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (2024) tell the full story of how we as a society are manipulated into buying more stuff than we really need—or even want—to a degree that does real harm not only to ourselves, but to disenfranchised and disproportionately impacted populations, as well as the planet.

Enough Is Enough

Indulge the New Year urge to declutter and simplify your life by going through your belongings to evaluate what no longer serves you. What you don’t need and no longer sparks joy might be something that, in 2026, you can leave behind—but not in the landfill. First consider donating, trading, or selling usable items you have no use for through community swaps, Buy Nothing groups, online thrifting, local thrift shops, and consignment stores. 

These are also great avenues to look to first when you identify something that you do need to acquire. The reuse and repair economy is growing faster than ever, and participating in it is one of the most effective ways to prevent natural resources from being unnecessarily extracted to make new products and to prevent usable goods from wasting away in the landfill.

Some items, including books, can be reused or recycled through the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) facility. Find a full list of what we accept here.

Digitally Detox 

It can be empowering to unsubscribe from marketing emails that are cluttering your inbox and pressuring you to buy, buy, buy. Take back control and do some digital housekeeping to delete old emails, remove yourself from email lists that aren’t adding value to your life, and rid yourself of apps and subscriptions you don’t use. In return, you buy back not only your money but also your time!

Free Yourself from Mail Jail

Some advertisements still come in the mail in the form of colorful catalogs and tempting retail coupons. While this paper is recyclable, the harm to the planet is already done by the time it reaches your mailbox. The production and distribution of junk mail drive deforestation, consume vast amounts of energy and water, and—when landfilled—contribute methane, creating a carbon footprint equivalent to 11 million cars in the US alone. Follow these steps to prevent junk mail from ever visiting your home this year.

Food Is Fuel (for Fighting Climate Change)

For items you need to buy regularly, like food, choose to buy local whenever possible. Food from farmers markets and CSAs not only supports agriculture in your area, it reduces emissions through fewer miles traveled from the field to your home. 

Food waste is one of the top climate issues we face, accounting for nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s one of the few we can meaningfully reduce right at home. Reduce food waste through careful meal planning as well as handy tips that get the most out of your food dollar. Double down on climate-saving choices by keeping your food scraps—which are valuable soil-making feedstocks—in your community through composting.

Do It Yourself

DIY can seem daunting, but it is often as simple as following a recipe. For example, you can keep your home clean without toxic commercial cleaners by making your own at home—not only saving money, but also avoiding unnecessary chemicals. Check out our Earth-Friendly Cleaning Recipes to learn more.

No matter which ways you choose to change your habits as a consumer this year, it all makes a difference, and we at Eco-Cycle are grateful to learn alongside you on another trip around the sun in 2026. Help us keep the conversation going and send your questions and favorite planet-saving consumer tips to recycle@ecocycle.org.

The post Make 2026 the Year of Mindful Consumption  appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

The holiday shopping surge means more boxes, more plastic mailers, and more waste. These easy tips will help you celebrate sustainably without sacrificing the joy of giving.

This holiday season, the waste forecast isn’t great: an estimated 2.3 billion packages will be shipped across the US—about seven deliveries per person on average. Those boxes, plastic mailers, padded envelopes, and layers of packing material add up fast. And when packages travel long distances, the energy, natural resources, and emissions required to manufacture, package, and transport them take a real toll on our planet. 

This year, show your love without piling up waste and environmental impacts by following a few easy tips:

1. Shop Local First

One of the easiest ways to avoid all that packaging is to skip the online cart and shop right here at home.

→ Visit craft fairs and makers markets.
Handmade goods = gifts with minimal waste and a lot of heart. 

→ Choose reuse with local thrift and secondhand stores.
You can find many “like new” products at far more affordable prices.

→ Give gift certificates for experiences.
Local restaurants, theaters, and music venues offer experiences—not packaging.

2. Return Less, Waste Less

Online retailers make returns easy—but the environmental cost is huge. About one in every five or six online purchases gets sent back during the holidays. Shipping those items to and from warehouses often costs more than the product itself.

What happens then? Often, it’s not worth it for retailers to inspect, repackage, and restock those items. Many returns end up thrown away or sold in bulk to secondary markets like discount stores and flea markets. 

To cut waste and emissions from extra transportation, buy thoughtfully. Choose quality gifts from reputable stores, and only purchase items you’re confident will be loved.

3. Recycle the Packaging You Do Get

Some packaging can go into your curbside bin, and some can be recycled at the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). Here’s how to sort it: 

In your curbside recycling bin, recycle:

• Cardboard boxes & paperboard envelopes
• Paper packing sheets
• White or light-colored envelopes
• Dark or bright-colored envelopes that, when torn, are white inside 
• Plain paper envelopes mailers
• Paper envelopes with paper fiber padding

Take to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM):

• Plastic packing pillows
• Bubble wrap & thin flexible foam
• Rigid white block foam
• Mailers made entirely from plastic

The following items are not recyclable. Please put these in the trash:

• Multi-material mailers (paper + plastic, etc.)
• Plastic or foam packaging peanuts* (though some packaging stores will take these for reuse)
• Foil or metallic mailers
• Bright or dark-colored envelopes that, when torn, the paper fibers inside are dyed all the way through

* Tip: Some packaging peanuts are made from cornstarch. If they dissolve with water, they’re compostable in your backyard bin.

Check out Eco-Cycle’s Packaging & Mailers Guidelines for a printable guide of what packaging goes where.

4. Choose Zero-Waste Wrapping

Traditional wrapping paper is difficult to recycle—it’s more clay, ash, and inks than recoverable paper fiber.

Instead, choose:

• Reusable gift bags
• Kraft paper wrapping paper—it’s highly recyclable
• Repurposed newspaper, calendars, or kraft grocery bags (turn them inside-out and decorate the blank side)
• Recycled-content wrapping paper without glitter or embossing

Skip these non-recyclable gift wrap options:

• Glitter, foil, metallic, or heavily dyed paper

Give More, Waste Less

There are countless ways to celebrate the season without the trash. Explore Eco-Cycle’s Zero Waste Holiday Guide for more ideas that keep the joy—and cut the waste!

The post How to Reduce and Recycle Holiday Packaging Materials appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Every time food goes uneaten, it’s money wasted. The EPA estimates that the average person in the US throws away about $728 of food each year. For a typical family, that’s nearly $3,000 gone. Nationally, roughly one-third of the entire US food supply is wasted. And when that food ends up in a landfill, it breaks down and releases methane—a potent greenhouse gas that accelerates the climate crisis.

The holidays make the problem worse due to bigger meals, bulk shopping, and leftovers that often go uneaten. But they also offer a chance to change habits in a way that saves money, reduces waste, and supports your community.

Smart Ways to Reduce Food Waste This Season

Shop Smart

• Shop your kitchen first. Take inventory before heading to the store—you may already have what you need.
  
• Stick to your list. Avoid impulse buys and oversized holiday packages you won’t finish.
  
• Be thoughtful with bulk. Only buy large quantities if you know you’ll use them before they expire.

Cook Mindfully

• Make less food. If recipes yield too much, halve them or freeze a portion.
  
• Plan meals with shared ingredients. Choose dishes that use the same produce or grains.
  
• Schedule a “leftovers night.” Make it a weekly tradition, especially during the holidays.

Use What You Have

• Revive produce. Add wilted greens to soups, bake soft fruit into desserts, or blend aging veggies into smoothies.
  
• Pickle or preserve it. Quick-pickles, jams, and chutneys extend the life of produce.
  
• Share the abundance. Bring extras to the office, to neighbors, or—better yet—donate it.

Store Food Properly

A lot of food waste happens simply because items aren’t stored well.

• Prep and organize. Use clear, airtight containers so food is easy to see and stays fresh longer.
  
• Label everything. Add the date you opened or prepared an item.
  
• Freeze wisely. Most produce, bread, cooked meals, and leftovers freeze beautifully and last for months.

Donate Surplus Food to Support Neighbors in Need

If you’ve overbought or ended up with unopened, unexpired foods you won’t use, donate them instead of letting them go to waste. Local food organizations can turn extra pantry items or produce into meals for families across Boulder County.

Food donation prevents edible food from entering the landfill and strengthens community resilience by reducing food insecurity in your community—especially during a season when many households face additional financial pressure.

Don’t Forget to Compost!

Even with careful planning, scraps happen. Composting keeps organic material out of the landfill and returns nutrients to the soil. Just remember to remove produce stickers, rubber bands, twist ties, and any non-organic materials first.

If you don’t have curbside composting, check if your municipality or local hauler offers drop-off options.

Small Habits, Big Impact

Small habits matter: planning meals, donating extras, storing food well, composting what’s left. Together, these practices save you money, reduce climate pollution, strengthen local food systems, and ensure more of our community’s food nourishes people—not landfills.

The post Your Guide to Reduce Food Waste This Holiday Season appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

It’s that time of year when scary stories and myths creep up—including about Zero Waste! Read on to learn the most common urban legends about recycling, composting, and reuse.

MYTH: Recycling is broken—it all ends up in the landfill anyway.

FALSE! This undead rumor just won’t die, but here are the facts: recycling works when we recycle right. If you live in Boulder County, your curbside recyclables are processed locally at the Boulder County Recycling Center (BCRC), operated by Eco-Cycle, where materials are sorted, baled, and sold to domestic and North American markets with whom we have developed partnerships since 1976. As a nonprofit mission-based recycler, it’s not in the realm of our business model to landfill materials.

The real problem isn’t recycling—it’s contamination and confusion. Stick to our Recycling Guidelines for Boulder County, and your recyclables will live to see another life! Still not convinced? Come see for yourself! Or watch a video showing processing at the BCRC.

MYTH: Recycling uses so much energy it’s bad for the environment.

FALSE! Don’t let this myth suck the life out of your recycling efforts! Recycling actually saves tons of energy compared to making products from virgin natural resources. For example:

• Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy used to make new cans from raw materials. Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to power your favorite spooky movie marathon for three hours!

• Recycling 10 plastic bottles saves enough energy to power a laptop for over 25 hours—long enough for a full day and night of Halloween chills! 

Recycling also conserves natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and supports local jobs. Now that’s a treat, not a trick!

MYTH: Rinsing recyclables wastes water, so it’s not worth it.

FALSE! The water used for rinsing is just a tiny fraction of what’s used in making new items from extracted natural resources. Recycling helps save much more water in the long run than what goes down the drain dishwashing!

You don’t need to give your recyclables a deep clean! Just make sure food and drink containers are empty and mostly free of residue. A quick scrape, rinse, or shake with a little water will do the trick. For those sticky containers (like peanut butter jars), scraping out the food thoroughly is good enough—or let your dog take care of it!

MYTH: Packaging labeled “biodegradable” is automatically green or compostable.

FALSE! Terms like “biodegradable,” “eco-friendly,” or “plant-based” may sound good for the planet—but these labels are not regulated in the US for packaging and often mislead well-intentioned consumers.

When used to refer to packaging, “biodegradable” simply means the material can break down into smaller components through natural processes over time. But here’s the catch: many so-called “biodegradable” packages are made from both plant-based AND plastic materials. When they do break down, they can produce microplastics—tiny pollutants that harm ecosystems. These items aren’t specifically designed to decompose safely in municipal compost systems, nor are they necessarily safer or made from “greener” materials.

REMINDER: Even products labeled “certified compostable” are not generally accepted in most Front Range curbside compost programs. Please use your curbside compost bin for food scraps and yard trimmings only, and check our compost guidelines to be sure of what goes where. 

MYTH: A recycling “chasing arrows” symbol on a package means it can go in the recycling bin. 

FALSE! That little “chasing arrows” symbol can be misleading! It is a largely unregulated symbol and doesn’t guarantee recyclability. Plastic manufacturing companies, in particular, put this symbol on nearly all their products despite the fact that many plastics are not recyclable.

The best way to know whether something is recyclable isn’t by the labeling on the package, but by looking at your local recycling guidelines. Our Recycling Guidelines for Boulder County include plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars, which are most commonly labeled with a #1, #2, or #5 inside the arrow. Beware the “wanna-be recyclable” materials like styrofoam cups and meat trays that have a #6 inside the chasing arrows symbol. They are a recycling nightmare, and should stay out of your curbside bin!

MYTH: Food scraps and yard clippings decompose the same in a landfill as they do in a compost pile.

FALSE! Organic materials like food scraps and yard clippings need oxygen to break down. In a compost pile—with plenty of air flow—microbes help them decompose quickly, creating a nutrient-rich humus. When applied to landscapes, finished compost nourishes plants, improves water retention, and boosts the soil’s ability to store carbon. It’s a win all around! 

On the flip side, landfills are designed to be airtight. Without oxygen, organics break down anaerobically, producing methane, an extremely powerful greenhouse gas that traps 84 times more heat than carbon dioxide. Don’t let your food scraps or fallen leaves and grass clippings rot in the landfill’s crypt—compost it instead!

MYTH: All paper products are recyclable. 

FALSE! While most paper items like office paper, mail, newspapers, and cardboard are recyclable, there are some ghoulish exceptions that should steer clear of your recycling bin! Beware of paper towels, plastic-coated paper, and paper that is soiled with food or grease. Here’s why:

• Paper towels and napkins— The fibers in paper towels and napkins are too short to be recycled. These items can easily be avoided with reusable alternatives. If you do have single-use towels or napkins and reside in Colorado’s Front Range, including Boulder County, these items also cannot go in your curbside composting bin, but can be included as a carbon source in your backyard compost pile. Some programs in the state do allow these items in curbside compost collection, so check with your hauler’s guidelines before putting them in the compost cart…

• Plastic-coated paper—like frozen food boxes, ice cream cartons, and to-go cups—have a sneaky plastic layer that makes them non-recyclable in most areas. The exception is paper cartons for products like milk, juice, and non-dairy milks and soups; these items ARE widely recyclable. Check your local recycling rules to know what’s recyclable at your local recycling facility. 

• Paper and cardboard with food debris and grease are also cursed for recycling because they will start to biodegrade the fibers. Tear off the clean sections (like the unsoiled top of a pizza box) and recycle that—banish the rest to the trash!

MYTH: All glass is recyclable in your curbside recycling bin. 

FALSE! While glass bottles and jars are recyclable and can be turned into new glass infinitely, not all types of glass are recyclable.

• PUT IN YOUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING BINS: Glass bottles, jugs, and jars. But beware—leave the lids off, and check local guidelines to see if the lids are recyclable separately! In Boulder County, metal and plastic lids larger than 2 inches can be recycled, while smaller metal ones should be added to your scrap metal collection and brought to a special recycling facility that accepts scrap metal, such as the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) or Longmont Recycling Center. Plastic caps and lids smaller than 2 inches in diameter should be put in the trash.

• Other glass (drinking glasses, vases, plates, and cups, etc.): These glass houseware items have different melting points and can’t be recycled with food and beverage glass bottles and jars. Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM facility accepts them for drop-off, but your curbside recycling bin cannot!

Can’t get enough myth-busting?

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for recycling in Boulder County.

The post Haunted by Recycling Myths? Let’s Bury Them for Good!  appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Oktoberfests may be wrapping up around the world, but here in Colorado, beer season never really ends. Whether you’re filling a growler at your neighborhood brewery or cracking open a six-pack at home, what you do with the packaging makes a real difference for the planet.

If you love your beer and love protecting natural resources by keeping waste out of the landfill, read on to find out what to do with every type of beer packaging—from bottles and cans to cardboard carriers and hard-plastic toppers.

How to make sure your beer containers are recycled into another round:

Go Reusable When You Can

If your local brewery refills growlers or offers reusable bottles, start there! Reusable and refillable containers are the best choice of all—no new materials or remanufacturing—just clean, refill, and repeat! And most refills are often cheaper since you’re not paying for new packaging.

Recycle Your Glass Bottles

Glass is one of the few materials that can be recycled infinitely. And here in Boulder County, the bottles you recycle stay close to home—they’re sent to Glass to Glass in Denver for processing, and then to Rocky Mountain Bottling, where they’re turned back into new beer bottles.

• Empty: Please be sure to empty all beer and beverage containers to avoid getting liquids onto paper in the single-stream mix.

• Labels: No need to remove the labels on glass bottles.

• Caps: The metal caps on your beer bottle can be trickier to recycle in your curbside recycling bin because of their small size—they can fall through screens and end up in the glass where they don’t belong. The best choice for making sure small metal beer caps get recycled is to collect them and bring them to a scrap metal collection drop-off site, such as the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) or the Longmont Recycling Center for Longmont residents.

• Paperboard carrier: The paperboard carrier that holds glass bottles can be placed in your curbside recycling bin.

Recycle Aluminum Cans

Aluminum is another material that can be recycled again and again without losing quality, and it’s very valuable as a recycling commodity. An aluminum can you put in your curbside recycling bin today could be back on store shelves within six weeks!

• Empty: Again, all containers should be free of liquids and food.

• Cans with labels printed directly on the can: These cans go straight into your curbside recycling bin—no prep needed.

• Cans with plastic shrink sleeves, wraps, or peel-off plastic labels:  For smaller batches of beer, printing directly on the can can be cost-prohibitive. Instead, labels are printed on plastic that gets wrapped around or stuck to the can. If you can safely remove this label (many wrap-around labels now have perforated seams for easy removal that does not require scissors, and some plastic sticker labels have an adhesive backing designed for peeling off), please remove them before recycling so optical sorters designed to pick up plastic don’t “misread” the can as a plastic item and sort it incorrectly. Note: Paper labels do not need to be removed.

• Hard-top plastic four-pack and six-pack holders (with snap-on toppers): In Boulder County, these are recyclable in your curbside recycling bin. However, flexible plastic holders are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.

• Paperboard boxes: Cases of beer often come in paperboard boxes that are recyclable—simply flatten and put it right in your curbside bin.

Skip the Plastic Cups

Those red or clear plastic party cups? Unfortunately, they can’t be recycled curbside in Boulder County and end up in the landfill. Bring a reusable cup or stein to gatherings when you can, or drink directly from recyclable beverage packaging.

Keep It Local

Buying beer from local Colorado breweries helps close the recycling loop right here at home. Both your glass bottles and aluminum cans are recycled regionally, cutting down on transportation emissions and supporting circular economies in our state. 

Whether it’s Oktoberfest or any weekend get-together, make every “prost!” a toast to the planet. Choose reusables first, recycle right, and raise your glass (or can) to a Colorado recycling system that gives your beer containers another round!

The post Prost to the Planet: How to Recycle Your Beer Right appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Your fresh, fragrant Christmas tree has been at the center of your celebrations—but when it’s time to pack the lights and ornaments away, make sure your tree is recycled! Recycling your holiday tree is a simple way to give it new life—here’s why it matters, what recycled trees become, and how you can recycle yours here in Boulder County.

Why Recycle Your Christmas Tree?

Christmas trees, when disposed of in a landfill, decompose without oxygen. This process of anaerobic decomposition produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. By recycling your tree, you divert it from the landfill and not only prevent the production of methane, you return the tree’s nutrients back to the earth in impactful ways.

What Happens to Recycled Christmas Trees?

Once collected, recycled Christmas trees are typically chipped into mulch (and often made available for residents to use) or made into finished compost. This mulch is used to:

• Enrich Soil: Mulch improves soil health, helping it retain moisture, regulate temperature, and prevent erosion.

• Support Parks and Landscapes: Local parks, gardens, and landscaping projects benefit from the use of nutrient-rich mulch sourced from the community.

• Protect Trails: Wood chips from recycled trees are often used to maintain hiking trails, creating safer, more sustainable pathways.

• Create Compost: Some trees are composted, providing a natural, nutrient-dense soil amendment for agriculture and gardening.

How to Recycle Your Tree in Boulder County

Before recycling your tree, be sure to remove all decorations—this includes string lights, tinsel, garland, ornaments, ribbons, and even tiny metal hooks, as they can contaminate the mulch or compost your tree will become.

Next, check with your waste hauler to see if curbside tree pickup is available after the holidays. Be sure to confirm specific dates and guidelines for your area.

If curbside collection isn’t an option, many communities offer free drop-off locations in early January, making Christmas tree recycling simple and convenient!

If you live in Boulder County, recycling your holiday tree is easy! Here are curbside and drop-off guidelines in Boulder County communities:

• Boulder County/City of Boulder: The Wood and Yard Waste Drop-Off Center, a City of Boulder and Boulder County–sponsored site at Western Disposal at 2051 63rd St., accepts trees from City of Boulder and Boulder County residents for free from 12/26/25–1/31/26. Western Disposal residential customers can set out trees curbside on your residential compost day until January 31 (if the tree is longer than 6 ft, please cut the top off and place it in the compost bin). If you have a hauler other than Western Disposal, reach out to them to see if they provide curbside service. 

• Erie: The Erie Recycling Center accepts trees of less than a 12-inch diameter year-round (weather permitting). Open daily, 8 am–4 pm, 1000 Briggs St., Erie. ID required.

• Lafayette: Republic Services will pick up Christmas trees for composting curbside during weekly residential service January–March. Trees must be cut to 4 ft in length and bundled with rope or twine.

• Louisville: The Branch Recycling Site is accepting trees 1/3/26 ONLY, 8 am–2 pm. Louisville ID required. Trees can also be collected on your residential curbside compost day if cut into pieces that fit in the cart with the lid closed.

• Longmont: From Dec. 26, 2025, through Jan. 5, 2026, the City of Longmont will provide four satellite Christmas tree drop-off locations:
  • Roosevelt Park, in the parking lot south of 8th Avenue and Pratt Street, by Roosevelt Activity Pool.
  • Garden Acres Park, in the parking lot at 18th Avenue and Tulip Street.
  • Kanemoto Park, in the parking lot at South Pratt Parkway and South Coffman Street.
  • Centennial Park, in the parking lot at Alpine Street and Verdant Circle.
  • The Longmont Recycling Center also accepts trees year-round; Mon–Sat, 8 am–4 pm. ID required. All trees will be ground into mulch and made available to residents.

• Superior: The Superior Yard Waste Site at 2125 Honey Creek Lane is accepting trees 12/26/25–1/31/26, 8 am–5 pm daily.

By recycling your Christmas tree, you’re helping nourish our parks, protect local trails, and enrich local soils. Check with your municipality—mulch is often made available to residents for free! Let’s keep the spirit of giving alive—one tree at a time!

Check out our Zero Waste Holiday Guide, available in English and Spanish, for more recycling tips for a sustainable holiday!

The post Where to Take Your Christmas Tree for Recycling in Boulder County appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Whether you’re channeling your inner Clark Griswold or just aiming for a cozy glow for the solstice season, we all know the sinking feeling of realizing a string of lights are broken and need to be recycled. Plug in to sustainability this winter by recycling your old stringed lights!

Where to Recycle Your Broken Holiday Lights

Don’t allow your broken Christmas lights to dim your shine—if you can’t repair your string lights, recycle them at the  Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) in Boulder instead! Holiday lights are accepted for recycling year-round since they contain precious copper metal resources, which can (and should) be recycled indefinitely!

Where Christmas Lights Go at the CHaRM

Throughout the holiday season and beyond, we have a bin for recycling Christmas lights at the CHaRM separate from the “Cables and Wires” bin we have year-round. Here’s why: One gaylord—that’s what the giant, industrial cardboard boxes you’ll see around the lane are called—is for thicker cables such as extension cords, which contain more copper per pound. Christmas lights go in a separate recycling bin (gaylord) because they typically have intertwining strands of tiny wires that are much smaller in circumference (like the ones you may have intended for a Christmas tree this season) as well as a higher proportion of non-recyclable plastic housing and bulbs. So when you visit the CHaRM, be sure to keep an eye out for the String Lights bin if you’re looking to recycle your old Christmas lights!

Why do we collect and recycle holiday lights separately? 

In turn, this gives the CHaRM a little more leeway in the budget to cover the costs of recycling materials that, while important to keep out of the landfill, do not have as much market value and are more expensive to recycle. And that’s just good business practice!

Recycling Christmas Lights Outside Boulder 

You do not need to be a City of Boulder resident to use the CHaRM, but if you need to recycle old holiday lights and the CHaRM in Boulder isn’t conveniently located near you, check your municipality’s website to see if they offer a seasonal collection for cables and wires in your area, such as Longmont’s drop-off program available through Jan. 5, 2025. You can also check out this mail-in program, which allows you to ship holiday lights if local options are not available.

And if you’re in the market to buy new holiday lights, be sure to opt for environmentally friendly LED lights instead of traditional incandescents—they use 90% less energy, and will last up to 25 times longer!

Learn more about recycling holiday items and find sustainable holiday tips in our Zero Waste Holiday Guide, available in English and Spanish.

The post How to Recycle Christmas Lights and Holiday Lights in Boulder County  appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

If you’ve recently unwrapped a new television, computer, or large appliance, chances are you’ve encountered rigid white foam—a lightweight material designed to protect items during shipping. Also known as expanded polystyrene (EPS), rigid foam is a type of plastic made from petroleum. While its protective qualities make it useful in packaging, its environmental impact requires responsible disposal.

Why Foam Doesn’t Belong in Your Curbside Recycling Bin

Rigid foam cannot be recycled through curbside programs due to its bulky structure and tendency to break into small fragments. Unlike easily compressible materials like bottles and cans, rigid foam takes up significant space and, if mixed into single-stream recycling, its fragments can contaminate other recyclables. To recycle rigid foam properly, it must be taken to a drop-off facility such as the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). At CHaRM, the foam is processed by grinding and densifying it into a compact, transportable form.

Recycle Rigid #6 White Block Foam at Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM Facility

The CHaRM is a hub for recycling materials that can’t go in your curbside bin, including #6 rigid white block foam. This holiday season, as you unwrap gifts and declutter your home, make a plan to recycle your rigid foam and other hard-to-recycle materials at the CHaRM. By doing so, you’re giving these resources a second life and keeping usable materials out of the landfill.

What Happens to Recycled Rigid Foam?

When you recycle your rigid foam at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, it is broken apart and then compacted into dense blocks. These blocks are then taken to a third-party recycler to be processed into raw materials that manufacturers use to create new products. Common items made from recycled polystyrene foam include crown molding, insulation, and packaging materials.

This process not only diverts waste from landfills but also reduces the demand for virgin plastics, conserving natural resources and energy.

Why Rigid Foam Shouldn’t Go to the Landfill

Dumping rigid foam in the landfill poses environmental risks. Rigid foam, like most plastics, doesn’t biodegrade, meaning it can persist in the environment for centuries. Its lightweight nature also makes it prone to blowing out of landfills, where it can break into microplastics, polluting ecosystems and threatening wildlife. Toxic additives in rigid foam products, such as styrene, which has been identified by the Department of Health and Human Services as a possible human carcinogen, has the potential to leach into soil or water over time.

Small Actions, Big Impact

Next time you’re tidying up after a festive gathering or unwrapping presents or new purchases, set aside your #6 rigid white block foam and take it to the Eco-Cycle CHaRM. Together, we can create a more sustainable, Zero Waste future—one recycled foam block at a time!

Learn more about recycling holiday items and find sustainable holiday tips in our Zero Waste Holiday Guide, available in English and Spanish.

The post Rigid White Foam Recycling: Why and How to Recycle at the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

The crinkle of wrapping paper being torn away, the shimmer of shiny bows under the tree—for many of us, there’s something nostalgic about traditional gift wrapping paper, evoking memories of childhood excitement and festive gatherings. But all that glitters isn’t gold: in the US alone, an estimated 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper are produced each year, and half of it ends up in landfills.

‘Tis the season to create new holiday memories with practices that reflect your sustainability values, without sacrificing the spirit of the season! Let’s explore why traditional wrapping paper isn’t recyclable in Boulder County and how to wrap gifts with creativity, sustainability, and joy!

Why is wrapping paper so challenging to recycle? 

Many types of gift wrapping paper are made from non-recyclable materials such as plastic coatings, metallic finishes, glitter, mylar, and foil, which are not recyclable. Even plain, traditional wrapping paper is difficult to recycle because it’s made of more clay and ash than paper fiber. And wrapping paper often comes with contaminants like tape, ribbons, and bows that are a no-no for paper mills that purchase recycled paper and turn it into new products.  

Green Gift Wrapping Ideas

You can still have beautifully wrapped gifts without creating unnecessary waste! Check out these creative, eco-friendly gift-wrapping alternatives:

Fabric Wrapping

Use scarves, cloth napkins, or other fabrics to wrap gifts in the Japanese style of furoshiki. These reusable wraps add elegance and can serve as part of the gift.

Reusable Bags, Boxes, and Containers

Try reusable tote bags, decorative boxes, or baskets for a double-duty solution—your wrapping is a gift in and of itself and can be reused for years!

Reusable, Recyclable Paper Gift Bags

Paper gift bags can be reused over and over, they make wrapping a snap, and when they begin to wear out, they’re fully recyclable in your curbside recycling bin—just pull off and toss any non-paper handles and decorations.

Recyclable Papers

Wrap your gifts in old maps, newspapers, or sheet music for a unique and eco-friendly look. If you can, reuse these items, and if not, they can be recycled as long as they are free of non-paper decorations.

Plain Kraft Paper

Brown paper bags turned inside-out and used as wrapping paper, as well as brown kraft paper, are recyclable—and customizable! Add festive touches with twine, hand-drawn designs, or sprigs of greenery for a rustic holiday look. Avoid using glue, glitter, or other non-paper decorations.

Nature-Inspired Alternatives to Bows and Ribbons

Reuse bows and ribbons whenever possible, or replace them with dried flowers, pinecones, or cinnamon sticks! These natural accents add charm and can be composted after use.

Sustainable Gift Wrapping Helps Create a Zero Waste Holiday

This holiday season, let your gifts reflect not only how much you care for your loved ones, but also your commitment to a world with less waste. Small changes, like avoiding traditional gift wrap, can add up to a big impact for the planet!

For more tips on sustainable  decorations, gifting, and eco-friendly celebrations, check out Eco-Cycle’s Zero Waste Holiday Guide in English and Spanish. Happy holidays—and happy wrapping!

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When we think of plastic pollution, most of us picture the obvious: grocery bags tangled in trees, foam cups littering sidewalks, bottles bobbing in the ocean. But the truth is, the problem runs much deeper. A significant portion of the plastic polluting our world is invisible to the eye—either embedded in everyday items or broken down into microscopic fragments—and it’s everywhere.

Many of the products we use daily contain plastic, even when they don’t look or feel like it. Sometimes it’s part of the material itself. Other times, it’s hidden in coatings, adhesives, or fibers.

The Hidden Plastics All Around Us

Here’s a list of everyday items that often contain hidden plastics:

• Clothing (especially polyester, nylon, spandex, and acrylic fabrics)
• Tea bags (often sealed with plastic or made from nylon mesh)
• Disposable coffee cups (lined with polyethylene)
• Receipts (often coated with BPA-containing plastic)
• Chewing gum (the “gum base” is usually synthetic rubber or plastic)
• Wet wipes and diapers (made with plastic fibers)
• Glitter and sequins
• Paints and coatings
• Paper plates and bowls (typically coated in plastic for waterproofing)
• Bandages and medical tape
• Feminine hygiene products (pads and tampon applicators)
• Frozen food packaging (may contain plastic films)

Once you start noticing, it’s hard to unsee: plastic is embedded in our lives in ways we rarely consider. And because many of these plastic items are used only once, they contribute to a growing global plastics crisis that can’t simply be recycled away.

Microplastics: Tiny Particles, Big Problem 

Microplastics are plastic particles less than 5 millimeters long—about the size of a sesame seed or smaller. They’re created when larger plastic items break down through sunlight, weather, and friction. Others are intentionally manufactured at this size for use in products like exfoliating scrubs or industrial abrasives (these are known as primary microplastics).

Microplastics have been found in:

• Ocean water and deep-sea sediment
• Soil and farmland (often through plastic mulch or sewage sludge)
• Drinking water and even bottled water
• Human blood, lungs, and placentas
• Fish, birds, and other wildlife

Microplastics are concerning not only because of their prevalence, but also their toxicity. They carry harmful chemicals and can potentially lead to DNA damage, organ dysfunction, metabolic disorder, immune response, neurotoxicity, as well as a variety of chronic diseases. Microplastics can also accumulate up the food chain, with wildlife often mistaking them for food, which can lead to starvation, internal damage, or poisoning. And humans are affected, too. Studies estimate that the average person inhales about 5 grams of microplastic per week—roughly the size of a credit card.

Systems Change: Policy and Innovation

The scale and reach of microplastics pollution can feel overwhelming, but there’s progress. Some microplastics have already been restricted or banned. In 2015, the US passed the Microbead-Free Waters Act, which banned plastic microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics like facial scrubs and toothpaste. Other countries—including Canada, the UK, and several EU nations—have passed similar or stricter legislation, targeting glitter, industrial microplastics, and synthetic fibers.

Beyond bans, innovation is emerging from both tech and nature-based solutions:

• Biodegradable materials are being developed from algae, mushrooms, and even milk proteins as alternatives to plastic.
• Washing machine filters and fiber-catching laundry bags can reduce the number of microfibers shed from clothing into waterways.
• Natural filtration systems, like constructed wetlands and biochar, are being tested to capture microplastics in stormwater and wastewater.

Going Beyond the Surface

Plastic pollution isn’t just what we can see—it’s hidden in our closets, cosmetics, food, and even our bodies. Change starts with awareness, but it doesn’t end there. We need continued investment in policy, innovation, and infrastructure that helps us phase out harmful plastics, hold producers accountable, and build a future that’s less toxic. By understanding the scale of hidden plastics and microplastics, we can support smarter choices—and stronger systems.

The post Hidden Plastics: The Problem We Can’t Always See appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

If you’ve ever flipped over a yogurt container or a takeout box, you’ve probably seen the little triangle made of arrows—the “chasing arrows” symbol—with a number inside. For many of us, it’s become shorthand for “recyclable.” Toss it in the blue bin and move on, right? Not quite. This common assumption is one of the biggest recycling myths out there.

That triangle on the bottom of your plastic bottle doesn’t actually mean it’s recyclable. It refers to the type of plastic resin used to make the product. A resin is essentially the raw, melted-down plastic material that gets molded into bottles, bags, wrappers, and clamshell containers.

The Truth About the Chasing Arrows Symbol

The Resin Identification Code (RIC) system was developed in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry (now the Plastics Industry Association)—not by an environmental or governmental agency. It was originally intended to help plastics manufacturers and recyclers distinguish between different kinds of plastic, not to guide consumers on what could go in the recycling bin.

Unfortunately, the use of the “chasing arrows” symbol on plastic products has led to widespread confusion. Many plastics bearing the symbol can’t actually be recycled in most curbside programs. To address this, California passed Senate Bill 343 in 2021, banning the use of the recycling symbol on products unless they’re regularly collected and processed for recycling in the state.

The “Better” Plastics 

Nearly all plastics are made from fossil fuels—primarily oil and gas—and the process of extracting them and producing plastics exacerbates both the climate crisis and public health risks. That’s why avoiding plastic whenever possible is the best choice. Still, not all plastics are equally harmful—some are considered less harmful to human health and are more commonly recyclable, especially when they’re clean and properly sorted.

• #1 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles, tubs, jugs, jars, and clamshells: Commonly used for products like soda bottles, salad containers, berry clamshells, and some takeout boxes. Widely accepted in recycling programs. 
• #2 HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene): Used in milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and detergent containers. It’s one of the most recyclable plastics.
• #5 PP (Polypropylene): Found in products like yogurt containers, hummus tubs, and margarine tubs. This plastic type is particularly hard and heat-resistant. It’s recyclable in Boulder County, but less widely accepted than #1 and #2 plastics.

See our Plastics Recycling Guide for Boulder County!

The “Worst” Plastics: Avoid When You Can

Then there are the plastics that carry bigger problems—both because they’re toxic to human health and nearly impossible to recycle.

#3 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

Used in cling wrap, some food packaging, medical devices, shower curtains, and even children’s toys.  #3 PVC are believed to contain carcinogens that can cause rare liver cancer, disrupt male endocrine systems, induce reproductive and birth defects, impair child development, and suppress immune systems.

#6 PS (Polystyrene, commonly referred to as Styrofoam)

Found in foam cups, to-go containers, and meat trays, as well as many red cups and black plastic containers. Lightweight and cheap, but made from styrene, a possible human carcinogen. It also lingers in the environment for centuries.

#7 PC (Polycarbonate) or sometimes labeled “Other” (the Catch-All Category)

This category is a catch-all for plastics that don’t fit into categories #1 through #6. It includes polycarbonate (PC), which often contains BPA, used in some water bottles, baby bottles (though now, thankfully, less common), 5-gallon water jugs, and can linings. It also includes a wide variety of other plastic resins and blends. Because this category covers many different materials, it’s nearly impossible to recycle and offers little to no transparency about its exact chemical makeup. Think of this as the “mystery meat” of plastic.

Black Plastics

Black plastics—like takeout containers or microwaveable trays—can contain unregulated amounts of toxic chemicals such as phthalates and flame retardants, as well as heavy metals. Black plastics with a #3, #6, or #7 have no recycling markets. Even if made from a more recyclable #5 plastic, black plastics are difficult to recycle because the dark pigment cannot be “read” by optical sorters at recycling facilities, so the plastics must be sorted manually, increasing sorting costs substantially. 

Print your Quick Guide to Plastics!

Effectiveness of Policies to Reduce Single-Use Plastics

To reduce the widespread use of two of the most problematic plastics—plastic bags and foam cups and containers—Colorado passed the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (House Bill 21-1163). This law, one of the boldest and most comprehensive plastic waste reduction laws in the country, combines two statewide bans, plus the nation’s first reversal of a plastic preemption law.

• A statewide ban on single-use plastic carryout bags at large retailers. Plastic bags are not biodegradable and are one of the most common pollutants in Colorado’s rivers and creeks, clogging waterways, leaching chemicals, and harming wildlife. In the first year of implementation, this law prevented approximately 1.5–1.8 billion plastic bags from being distributed in the state.
• A ban on polystyrene foam (commonly referred to as Styrofoam) food and beverage containers at restaurants and retail food establishments, due to its health hazards and low recyclability. Polystyrene carries serious health risks—like leaching styrene, a probable human carcinogen—and is notoriously non‑recyclable, fragmenting into harmful microplastics.
• Repeal of plastic preemption law. A preemption law is when a higher level of government (e.g., state) prohibits lower levels (e.g., cities, counties) from passing their own rules on a particular issue. In Colorado, since 1989, municipalities had been prohibited from regulating plastic products like bags or packaging. With the reversal, communities are able to take local action to further curb plastics, such as Breckenridge’s ban on the sale of single-use plastic water bottles (under 1 gallon) and single-use plastic containers and serviceware in retail food establishments, effective July 1, 2024.

Changing the System, Not Just Our Habits

Understanding which plastics pose the greatest harm—and which are more manageable—helps us make informed choices, rather than treating all plastics as equal. But avoiding the most toxic plastics isn’t something individuals can do alone—and we don’t have to accept toxic packaging and single-use waste as the norm. Smart legislation like Colorado’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Act drives real, systemic change away from a throwaway culture and toward systems where safer, more sustainable options become the standard.

The post For Better or for Worse Plastics: Which Ones to Avoid appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

In today’s fast-paced world, single-use plastics don’t just surround us—they define our convenience-driven society. But the scale of the problem is staggering. 

Global plastics production has skyrocketed from just 2 million tons in 1950 to over 430 million tons per year today. Of that total, approximately 36% is used for packaging alone—a category dominated by disposable, single-use items. These plastics are often used for just minutes, yet they make up a massive chunk of global plastics production.

From Reuse to Convenience: The Shift in Culture That Got Us Here

Before the 1950s, American households and businesses followed a model grounded in reuse. Milk was delivered in refillable glass bottles. Soda came in returnable containers. Families shopped with cloth bags, and tools and household goods were predominantly repaired—not quickly replaced. But this era soon gave way to a surge in plastics production, captured in a 1956 Life magazine article celebrating what it called “Throwaway Living” and the postwar rise of single-use products—from plastic plates and utensils to disposable diapers and packaging.

The petroleum industry, seeing opportunity in plastic as a byproduct of refining, began heavily investing in plastic manufacturing. Lloyd Stouffer, editor of Modern Plastics, Inc., addressed the 1963 National Plastics Conference in Chicago by writing, “You are filling the trash cans, the rubbish dumps and the incinerators with literally billions of plastics bottles, plastics jugs, plastics tubes [sic] . . . The happy day has arrived when nobody any longer considers the plastics package too good to throw away.”

This quote reveals how the plastics industry blatantly steered and celebrated a throw-away culture—praising the flood of single-use plastic waste filling our landfills and incinerators as a sign of progress, ignoring the lasting damage it would cause to our people and planet.

In 1950, 2 million tons of plastic was being produced globally. By 1963, it was 13 million tons. Today, it’s over 400 million tons.

In the US, only 5% of plastics are recycled annually

Americans produce roughly 51 million tons of plastic waste annually. Only 5% of that plastic waste was recycled. About 10% of plastic waste was incinerated, leaving approximately 85% of plastic waste in the US sent to landfill—or worse, polluting the environment. Why are plastic recycling numbers so low? One reason is that access to recycling across the nation varies. But the more alarming reasons that plastics aren’t being recycled include:

• Plastics aren’t designed to be recycled. There are thousands of different types of plastics, and these varying materials can’t be recycled together, making the collection, sorting, and processing of plastics for recycling much more complicated and expensive.
• Plastics contain hazardous chemicals. The chemical additives used to produce plastic are harmful to human health, and recycling plastics can result in negative health impacts for workers and local communities.
• Plastics are not infinitely recyclable. Unlike glass or metal, plastics can’t be recycled indefinitely—a plastic bottle can’t be turned into another bottle over and over. At best, plastics may be downcycled into lower-grade products that eventually end up in landfills. 
• The plastics industry doesn’t buy back its own product. Unlike metal, glass, and paper manufacturers, plastics producers rarely buy back and use recycled plastic in their products. Why? Because virgin plastic is consistently cheaper to produce, thanks to government subsidies that artificially lower the cost of fossil fuels. This creates a significant price gap that makes recycled plastics less competitive.

Ditching Single-Use Plastics

Rejecting a culture built on convenience and waste doesn’t mean giving up ease—start with a few tips that fit your life—and watch how one change leads to another!

• Bring your own reusable water bottle and/or coffee cup: Skip bottled water and disposable café cups—sip from your favorite bottle or tumbler. Many places will even offer a small discount for bringing your own.
• Say “no” to plastic cutlery. The life cycle of a simple plastic disposable fork shows the true cost of disposable plastics. Pack your own Zero Waste Kit made from a reusable fork, spoon, and napkin, and you’ll never have to throw away a plastic fork again!
• Pack a reusable bag. Whether carrying groceries or holding takeout, a lightweight reusable bag beats single-use plastic bags every time.
• Carry your own snack containers. Prepackaged snacks often come in non-recyclable plastic pouches; use small reusable containers or beeswax wraps to stash granola, fruit, or trail mix.

Build your own Zero Waste Kit—here’s what you’ll need.

Systemic Shifts: Holding Producers Accountable

While individual actions matter, real change requires shifting responsibility to the companies that design and profit from plastic packaging in the first place. That’s where Producer Responsibility laws come in, which shift the financial responsibility for recycling, disposal, or other end-of-life management of items from local governments and consumers to the companies that manufacture and sell the products. Producer Responsibility laws have passed in eight states thus far: California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington, Maryland, and New Jersey.

In 2022, Colorado became the third state in the nation to pass a Producer Responsibility Program for Recycling—House Bill 22-1355—one of the most ambitious Producer Responsibility laws in the nation. This law requires companies that sell packaged goods in the state to fund recycling programs, making recycling free and accessible for all Coloradans. Importantly, it incentivizes smarter, more sustainable packaging design by charging higher fees to producers that use non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle packaging, such as multilayer plastic film, black plastic trays, or materials without an end market. That includes many forms of single-use plastic.

On the flip side, companies using recyclable or reusable packaging will pay less. Over time, this system creates a financial reward for more sustainable design. It also ensures that the costs of waste aren’t unfairly borne by taxpayers and local governments, and instead are paid for by the producers creating the waste in the first place.

Looking Head: Curbing the Tide of Plastic

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of global plastic pollution, but individual choices matter and build momentum toward larger systemic change. Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Program is a model for how policy can rein in plastic pollution at the source, not just at the recycling bin. By pairing personal action with systemic reform, we can reduce plastic production—not just clean it up after the fact.

The post Single-Use Plastics: A Catastrophe of Convenience appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Take a moment to look around your home and you’ll find evidence of the global surge in plastic production everywhere—from the food packaging in your fridge, to the liquid soap by the sink, to the bag your dog’s treats came in—it’s all likely made of plastic.

Lightweight, durable, and inexpensive, plastics have made innovations in medicine, transportation, and food preservation possible. But in solving some problems, plastics have created others, becoming embedded in nearly every ecosystem on Earth—even our own bodies.

Every year, over 400 million tons of plastic is produced, with two-thirds of it being used once and then discarded. Plastic does not decompose and disappear. It breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming microplastics. These fragments are now found in oceans and rivers, in the soil that grows our food, and even in the human body. It’s estimated that we inhale about 5 grams of microplastics each week—the size of a credit card.

Not only do plastics cause health and environmental problems, the production and disposal of plastics also disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Communities located near petrochemical facilities—where plastics are made—are exposed to health hazards that include an increased risk of asthma, metabolic diseases, obesity, diabetes, infertility, and cancer. A petrochemical and plastics processing hub in Louisiana known as “Cancer Alley” has been called by the United Nations a glaring example of environmental racism stemming from the plastics industry.

Start at Home: Simple Tools to Reduce Your Plastic Use

While our consumer choices can’t solve the plastics crisis alone, they do make a difference and can help pave the way toward larger systemic change. Are you looking to reduce your plastic use, but aren’t sure where to start? The first step is simply paying attention to the plastics we bring into our homes, and reimagining how we can live without them. To help you reduce your own plastic use, we created:

A Plastics Audit Toolkit. Over the course of a week, collect all your single-use plastics in one place. Take note of what you’re using most—and where change might be easiest.

A Plastics “Swap” Chart. Find simple ways to swap out plastic for more sustainable packaging, such as glass or aluminum—or, best of all, skip the packaging entirely by bringing your own reusables! Not every swap will be practical for every household, but even with one or two consistent changes, you can keep hundreds of plastic items out of the landfill or the environment each year.

See Reducing Waste Starts at Home for more tips on how to cut your waste in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and on the go.

Systemic Change Is the Only Way Out of the Plastics Crisis

However, we can’t “swap” our way out of a problem this large. Plastic waste is a structural issue. For decades, the plastics industry has produced more and more packaging, knowing that most of it was not designed to be recyclable. It’s a system designed for disposability, and requires systemic change. That’s where policy becomes essential—and fortunately, it’s already taking shape. Here in Colorado, we are moving toward a less plastic-dependent future, starting with two landmark laws: 

• The Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, championed by Eco-Cycle in 2021, is phasing out single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam (aka “Styrofoam”) containers statewide, helping reduce the sheer volume of plastics entering our waste stream.
• The Producer Responsibility for Recycling law, championed by Eco-Cycle in 2022, is shifting the responsibility for managing packaging disposal back to the companies that create it—not only making recycling free and accessible for all Coloradans, but also creating incentives for companies to reduce plastic at the source.

These laws—and others being introduced across the country—shift the burden of addressing plastic pollution off consumers and onto the companies that produce these wasteful products, where it belongs. 

Building a Plastic-Free Future

The global scale of plastic pollution may feel overwhelming, but there’s a lot we can do—and a lot of meaningful action already underway. The plastics crisis didn’t start with individual choices, and it won’t be solved by them alone. But when informed and engaged,  individuals take action together, they can transform communities and drive the systemic change needed to reimagine entire systems. 

The post Reducing Our Dependence on Plastics appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

You’re standing at a Zero Waste station at a community event—half-eaten corn dog, plastic cup with ice, and napkin in hand. Which item goes in which bin? Check out our Guide to Zero Waste at Summer Events. And don’t forget to double-check your local recycling and compost guidelines—details matter!

June kicks off summer event season—with vibrant celebrations like Pride Month, Juneteenth, outdoor concerts, street fairs, farmers markets, and neighborhood block parties filling the calendar. These events can bring people together in powerful ways—but they can also generate a lot of waste.

From food wrappers and plastic cups to bottles and cans, it can be hard to tell what goes where. Here’s a quick guide to some common event items you might encounter this summer—and whether they belong in the recycling, compost, or landfill bin!

First, Reuse

Bringing your own reusables is the best way to reduce event waste (and avoid any confusion over what goes where!). Pack a simple Zero Waste kit with items you will need, such as:

• A reusable water bottle (many events now offer water refill stations)
• Durable utensils
• A cloth napkin
• A lightweight container (for leftovers)
• A reusable coffee cup 
• A small tote or bag for carrying your kit and any purchases
• A snack in a reusable container

Recyclable

These items are typically recyclable—but only if they’re scraped clean of food and empty of liquids. Recycling rules can vary from community to community, so check event signage before you toss something into the recycling bin.

Commonly recyclable items:

• Aluminum cups and cans (do not crush)
• Plastic bottles (empty liquids,  put the plastic cap back on)
• Glass bottles (empty liquids, remove the metal cap or cork)
• Paper, such as flyers and brochures (but not paper food boats, plates, or napkins)
• Foil (clean, balled-up foil 2 inches in diameter or bigger—but not yogurt lids or small scraps of foil)
• Durable plastic cups with a #2 or #5 on the bottom (empty of liquids)

If you’re still in doubt, throw it out to avoid “wish cycling” and contaminating the recycling stream!

Compostable

Composting is a powerful way to turn food scraps into a healthy soil amendment—but contamination is a big issue. Here’s what you need to know. If compost bins are available:

YES: food scraps, including meat and dairy

MAYBE: napkins, paper towels, popsicle and corndog sticks, and certified compostable items (BPI– or CMA–certified) are accepted only if specifically included on signage. NOTE: In most Colorado Front Range communities, compostable serviceware (cups, plates, utensils), as well as paper towels, napkins, sticks, etc., are not accepted, even if labeled “compostable.” 

NO: plastic utensils, cups, or containers—even if they look compostable. And keep food wrappers, plastic cling wrap, and chip bags out, too!

Trash

Unfortunately, many items you’ll find at community events belong in the trash can. These items are not recyclable or compostable in most places:

• Coffee cups (unless accepted locally in recycling, like in Denver—check event signage)
• Most plastic cups (other than a #2 or #5 durable cup)
• Straws
• Polystyrene (Styrofoam) cups, containers, or trays
• Paper food boats (unless certified compostable and listed as a “yes” on compost signage)
• Plastic Utensils
• Ice cream cups and plastic mini spoons
• Popsicle/ice cream wrappers
• Plastic cling wrap and plastic film
• Plastic bags
• Chip bags, candy wrappers, juice pouches
• Compostable plates, cups, and utensils (if your community accepts only food scraps in compost bins)
• Napkins and paper towels (if your community accepts only food scraps in compost bins)
• Mini condiment cups and lids, either paper or plastic

The best way to reduce waste is to plan ahead to reduce your waste in the first place!  Bring your reusables, sort your waste carefully, and help others do the same. Every small action can make recyclables more valuable, compostable food scraps cleaner, and summer celebrations more sustainable!

The post Your Guide to Zero Waste at Summer Events appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

From snowy Buffalo to sun-soaked Mexico, Thea Hassan—Eco-Cycle contributor and AMBR Communications Manager—spent two months exploring how to travel with a lighter footprint. In this blog, she shares her low-waste travel tips, the unexpected challenges she faced, and eye-opening observations about waste and sustainability in Mexico.

What does Zero Waste travel really look like in practice? From what you pack to how you move through the world, here’s how I (Thea Hassan, Eco-Cycle contributor and Communications Manager for the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling) approached it on my two-month trip through Mexico.

Pack for Zero Waste

First things first, I pack to use less. My reusables—a stainless steel coffee mug, water bottle, and durable cutlery—are always easily accessible in my carry-on bag. Pro tip: TSA confiscates anything they consider “knife-like,” so leave your reusable knife at home to avoid bag searches, delays, and having your stuff thrown away (Denver airport, you owe me a knork!).

To get around liquid restrictions, I pack bar soaps for my face and body (bonus: they won’t explode in your bag). For longer trips, like my two-month Mexico stay, I waited until I arrived to buy larger items like shampoo, conditioner, and sunscreen. It’s a great way to experiment with local products!  

To avoid overpriced, plastic-wrapped airport snacks, I pack healthy, uncrushable snacks like apples, carrots, nuts, and crackers. Once I land, I continue carrying my reusables and snacks in my day bag to avoid on-the-go purchases. 

Learn Culture Through Infrastructure

One of my favorite things about travel is learning how things work in other places, and local infrastructure reveals so much about a place’s values as well as challenges.

In Mexico City, you’ll likely hear a rhythmic voice echoing through neighborhoods, chanting: “ColCHONES . . . estUfas . . . tambORes . . . refrigeradORes . . .” That’s a scrap collector, calling for old mattresses, stoves, and other home appliances. The call eventually blends into the sounds of the city, alongside barking dogs and bird calls.

Here’s what else stood out: 

• Reusables are common. Like so many places outside the US, convenience-driven, “to-go” culture is much less common. People sit at cafés and enjoy their coffee in real cups and guava rolls served on real plates. 
• Even street stands use durables. Mexico City’s famous street stands offer reusable plates. You eat your tlacoyo or quesadilla at the stand and then return the plate—no to-go waste! 
• Separating materials for recycling. In Mexico City, some separate their materials into four categories: PET plastics, aluminum, organic waste, and all other waste. I saw this type of separation in many places, even in a remote mountain town in Oaxaca. 
• No curbside bins. Instead of door-to-door pickup, neighborhoods have trash collection spots. When the trash truck arrives, it gives a call, and folks bring their garbage over. You’ll see lots of bags hanging from the side of the truck as workers sort valuable materials from the trash. Many trash trucks were decorated with salvaged treasures, like lights, stuffed animals, and other colorful and chaotic decor.
• Unnecessary plastic was still prevalent. Because the water is non-potable, I went through a ton of plastic water bottles. I did buy a large 5-gallon jug to refill my water bottle, but even one person drinks a lot of water in the hot Mexican climate. I was also frequently offered plastic bags at the checkout line, but a simple “No bolsa, por favor” did the trick.
• Water scarcity is a serious issue—especially in the city, where water is running low and shortages are common. You’ll see reduction strategies like collecting greywater from showers to wash patios and signs encouraging tourists not to waste water. 

Rethink “Single-Use” Transportation

When we talk about Zero Waste, we usually think of reducing packaging—but transportation habits matter, too. While traveling, we’re often tempted to prioritize efficiency over sustainability, and single-occupancy trips in taxis and ride-shares have a huge impact on the environment and the quality of life for locals.

As much as possible, I opt for public transit. In many places outside the US, public transportation not only saves money, but also offers a much more authentic experience—you see how locals live and move instead of getting the tourist’s drive-by view.

In Mexico City, I took the buses and metro every day. Some tourists expressed safety concerns, but I never felt unsafe. There’s a strong police presence, and the metro even has designated cars in the front for women and children under 12. I occasionally rode in the general cars during the crowded peak transit times, but usually preferred the relaxed women’s section, where people were reading and putting on makeup. 

I used ride-shares or taxis only when necessary—for example, in the early-morning hours after wandering through historic sites like Templo Mayor and the Zócalo. 

Better yet, if you are comfortable, ride a bike! I hop on a bike-share in every city I visit—an unforgettable way to learn a city. In Mexico City, every Sunday, about 30 miles of streets are closed to motorized vehicles and opened to bikes and other human-powered travel. Be observant and use caution, as traffic norms vary from place to place. 

Buy Less, Remember More

My trip covered many climates as I crossed from Buffalo to Boulder and then to Mexico (where I traveled in cities, mountains, and the seaside), so I had extremely limited space for souvenirs. When I buy things for friends and family, I try to get stuff I know they’ll use, like artisanal soap, weird-flavored toothpaste, unusual sweets, or coffee. I did pick up a couple of books (including a Spanish graphic novel of Albert Camus’s The Stranger) and some handmade art from Oaxaca, but I mostly let my memories be my souvenirs.

I made it back home to upstate New York with slightly improved Spanish, a deep appreciation for Mexican culture, and an obsession to learn more about pre-Hispanic history (did you know there were actually no people who called themselves Aztecs?!). With a little planning, travel can be both inspiring and lower-impact. The journey is the reward—but doing it thoughtfully makes it even richer.

The post Zero Waste on the Road: My Travels in Mexico appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Spring is in full swing, and lawn mowers are being called back into service. If your lawn mower’s days are done, find the inside scoop on best practices and tips for recycling locally!

The growing season has arrived in Colorado’s Front Range, and many of us are firing up lawn mowers for the first time. If your mower has seen its last summer, don’t toss it in the trash! Here’s how to recycle it responsibly—and keep valuable scrap metal from wasting away in a landfill.

Lawn Mower Recyclers around Boulder County

• The Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) located at 6400 Arapahoe Road (next door to Resource Central, which is a great place to take a working mower you no longer need!)
• The Longmont Recycling Center located at 140 Martin Street.
• Explore even more options for recycling lawn mowers in the Front Range in the Eco-Cycle A–Z Recycling Guide!

Recycling a mower at Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM is simple! 

The CHaRM in Boulder accepts all types of lawn mowers for recycling (aside from riding mowers, which should go to an automotive scrap yard instead). Fees vary depending on the type of mower. Read on to learn more about the different types of mowers, and find current recycling fees at CHaRM here—please note that prices are subject to change.

Gas Mowers

• If you’re recycling a gas mower, please be sure all gas and oil has been drained before drop off. The CHaRM window cashier will confirm that the mower is empty before it’s accepted. CHaRM does not accept gas or motor oil; these materials must be taken to a hazardous materials facility such as the Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility
• Not sure how to safely drain gas and oil? Find tips for draining mowers here.
• Gas mowers that are confirmed empty can be recycled as scrap metal for the $3 facility fee.

Electric Mowers

CHaRM takes all three types of electric mowers: 

• Corded: Safe to recycle as scrap metal for the $3 facility fee.
• Non-removable/internal batteries: Recyclable as e-waste for $0.59/lb plus the $3 facility fee. 
• Removable/external battery: These batteries are easily removed and usually rechargeable in a dock; the batteries can be recycled at CHaRM for $2/lb or can go to the Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility (HMMF). The rest of the mower can be recycled as scrap metal for the $3 facility fee.

What happens to lawn mowers after recycling at CHaRM?

Most of the mowers brought to CHaRM are gas-powered, contributing to the roughly 7,800 lb of scrap metal we receive at the facility each day! Scrap metal is a very important recycling stream to a circular economy, because unlike many materials that can only be recycled a certain number of times before becoming too degraded, metal can be recycled indefinitely without any loss in quality. Recycling metal eliminates the need for mining new ore, which comes with a host of benefits for the planet! 

Through the scrap metal recycling program at CHaRM, eligible drop-offs ranging in size from tiny metal shavings and staples to water heaters, barbecue grills, and plumbing pipes will be recycled into new car parts and kitchen appliances (which could also very well be made from those same items to begin with!). Just about any object that is at least 50% metal by weight and does not contain fluids or hazardous materials is eligible for scrap metal recycling at CHaRM—and there are no additional costs besides the $3 facility fee! 

For electric mowers, especially those containing a battery, recycling is even more essential. Landfilling electronics is illegal in Colorado and can result in a hefty fine. More importantly, recycling lawn mowers allows us to safely capture heavy metals and other hazardous materials inside electronics that, when landfilled, become a dangerous pollutant to the water supply.

When recycling an electric mower or other electronics, Eco-Cycle recommends using an e-Steward Certified recycler to ensure your electronics are recycled to the highest ethical and environmental standards.

Mow Down Pollution Discount for Electric Mower Purchases

The Mow Down Pollution Program is currently encouraging use of the 30% state discount available for electric mowers purchased at participating retailers.

If needed, customers can request a receipt at the CHaRM window that specifically notes that a mower or other item was recycled at the facility. This documentation can be used to meet requirements for certain voucher or reimbursement programs.

Got questions?

We have answers. Contact recycle@ecocycle.org, call our recycling helpline at 303-444-6634, and learn more about what we accept at CHaRM at ecocycle.org/charm.

The post Where to Recycle a Lawn Mower in Boulder County appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Why Compost?

You might be surprised to learn that up to 40% of what Americans throw away is food. When those food scraps and yard trimmings end up in landfills, they break down without oxygen—producing methane, a greenhouse gas that’s more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

It’s not just wasteful—it’s fueling the climate crisis.

Here’s the good news: composting turns those same materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that builds healthy soil, supports plant growth, and even pulls carbon out of the atmosphere. It’s a powerful way to turn a climate problem into a climate solution.

Composting in Your Community: Curbside and Drop-Off Centers

Eco-Cycle’s EV compost truck collects compostables from local businesses.

Curbside Compost Collection

Many Colorado communities offer curbside compost collection that takes organic materials to industrial composting facilities. These large-scale operations heat compost piles to temperatures of 131–170°F, breaking down bones, dairy, and other materials that backyard systems can’t handle, while destroying harmful pathogens. In just four months, your leftovers can be transformed into compost that, when applied to landscapes, restores soil and supports regenerative agriculture.

Don’t have curbside compost service? Check with your local waste hauler or municipality to see what options are available—and always follow your city’s composting guidelines to avoid contamination.

• Check the compost guidelines for Boulder County here!

Drop-Off Compost Locations

If curbside compost service isn’t available, you might still have compost drop-off locations nearby. Many cities offer designated spots where you can bring your food scraps and yard trimmings.

In Boulder County, check out just a few of the drop-off locations:

• The Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM): Accepts food scraps only—yard waste is not accepted here.
• Longmont Recycling Center: Accepts both food scraps and yard trimmings from Longmont residents.
• Western Disposal’s Materials Management Center in Boulder: Accepts yard trimmings and clean wood waste (no painted or treated wood). Discounts available for Boulder County residents.

Find more Boulder County drop-off locations for compostable materials in the Eco-Cycle Guide.

Curbside and Drop-Off Composting Tips:

• Follow your local guidelines. What goes in the compost is simple: food scraps (including meat, bones, dairy) and yard trimmings ONLY. Keep plastic, produce stickers, and other contaminants out of your compost bin—this ensures high-quality compost that’s safe to apply to veggie gardens.

• Minimize odor and pests. In warm weather, store food scraps in a countertop container or keep them in the fridge or freezer until compost collection day.

Composting at Home

No curbside or drop-off access? No problem! Composting at home is easy, rewarding, and connects you to the natural cycle of decay and regrowth!

Backyard Composting 

Backyard composting is a hands-on way to reduce waste and create your own soil amendment that feeds your garden, lawn, and flowerbeds. There’s something deeply rewarding about watching your scraps transform into something valuable, right before your eyes! 

To start backyard composting, you’ll need a bin or space about 3′ x 3′ x 3′—the ideal size to hold heat and support microbial activity. Aim for a mix of 2 parts “brown” materials (like dried leaves) to 1 part “green” materials (like food scraps, but skip meat and bones for a backyard bin as temperatures are not high enough to break them down and they will attract critters to your bin). Keep the pile moist (like a wrung-out sponge) and turn it regularly for airflow.

You’ll know your finished compost is ready to use when it looks like a dark brown rich soil with a crumbly texture and a pleasant, earthy odor.

• Follow Eco-Cycle’s step-by-step guidelines on backyard composting. 

Vermicomposting

Short on space? Live in bear country? Vermicomposting—composting with worms—is a great indoor option to composting at home using worms—specifically, red wigglers. These decomposers eat many of the same plant-based scraps we do and thrive in compact, contained environments. That makes vermicomposting ideal for people with limited outdoor space or those in wildlife-prone areas where backyard compost bins might attract animals. You can set up a worm bin indoors, on a porch, or in a garage—and with our DIY guide, it’s simple to get started!

• Learn how to build your own worm bin and choose the best worms for home composting.

Composting keeps valuable organic material out of landfills, protects the climate, and gives back to the earth. Whether you’re dropping off scraps at a local facility, rolling a bin to the curb, or stirring a pile in your backyard, your efforts matter—and they add up.

Happy composting!

The post Compost: A Simple Way to Turn Waste into Climate Action appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

If you’ve heard of the CHaRM in Boulder, you already know that we are a collection center for hard-to-recycle materials, and that we recycle. 

But did you know that a large part of the circularity and resource recovery offered by the CHaRM facility depends on systems of reuse, not just recycling?

Top Reuse Materials at the CHaRM Facility

BOOKS

At the CHaRM, books stand out as the top item collected with a focus on reuse rather than recycling. Eco-Cycle’s CHaRMed Books Program is a collaboration among many partners, including our Schools and CHaRM/Business departments, a skilled independent bookseller who has helped manage the multi-stage sorting process for incoming books for many years, and a Denver-based vendor that recycles unusable books (those that are damaged or out of date) into cellulose insulation.

Around half of the book donations dropped off at CHaRM are unfit for reuse and get recycled into pulp. Gently used books are put back into circulation at schools and other organizations in Boulder County! 

• Learn more about the work the Eco-Cycle Schools department is doing locally to reduce waste!

TEXTILES

CHaRM has shifted its approach for textiles—we now serve as a hub for donation of reusable clothing and textiles. We partner with our neighbors on east Arapahoe, local thrift store Pig + Pearl, who evaluate the donations for resale, keeping usable textiles in our local community.

In the past, CHaRM was able to recycle unusable textiles into industrial rags, but unfortunately, those markets have since gone out of business. Currently, we are not aware of any viable textile recycling markets in our region. That could change with the launch of the forthcoming Circular Economy Development Center in Colorado, which aims to bring new recycling end markets to our state.

Of the 10 tons of textiles we receive annually, the vast majority of donations are suitable for reuse, but CHaRM does receive a small proportion of unusable textiles in our collection bin that must be landfilled. We kindly ask that customers do not drop off unusable textile items. Instead, we encourage upcycling fabric scraps, and whenever possible, repairing items to extend their usable life. 

BIKES

Eco-Cycle partners with Community Cycles to give usable BIKES brought to our facility a second life. Community Cycles takes bikes to their nearby shop, where they’re repaired and resold at affordable prices as part of their mission to make biking a more accessible, equitable, and sustainable transportation choice. Non-reusable bikes are recycled with scrap metal.

PRINTER CARTRIDGES & FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

For both printer cartridges and fire extinguishers, all drop-offs brought to CHaRM are evaluated for reuse. Units that meet reuse criteria are refilled and recirculated back into their original purpose!

Additional Reuse Opportunities at CHaRM

In addition to the reuse programs above, the CHaRM operations team is always striving to increase reuse solutions, even when small in scale. For example:

• Around 10% of our mattress donations are evaluated as fit for reuse over recycling and are diverted by a local charity benefiting the unhoused community.
• A staff-led pilot project is underway to recover usable cables and wire for resale in partnership with our neighbors at 6400 Arapahoe, Resource Central. 
• We are pursuing avenues for the repair and refurbishment of usable electronics with Blue Star, our electronics recycling partner, among other possibilities. 

Additionally, our hauling service for businesses will often present new opportunities for reuse in the form of unique material streams generated consistently by businesses, allowing items like milk crates, plastic buckets, and barrels brought in by CHaRM hauling to find new homes in nearby micro reuse markets.

What else happens to materials collected at CHaRM?

Check out our resource, The CHaRMed Second Life of Your Hard-to-Recycle Materials, to learn more, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 303-444-6634 or recycle@ecocycle.org with any questions.

The post Not Just a Recycler: Reuse Makes the CHaRM Go Round appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

At Eco-Cycle, we believe true sustainability begins with a mindset shift, rethinking how we use natural resources. Since 2005, our award-winning Green Star Schools^Ⓡ Program—the first Zero Waste Schools program in the nation—helps schools reduce waste, conserve valuable resources, save money, and foster a culture of environmental stewardship that students, staff, and parents can carry with them for life.

Waste Reduction Up to 67%

In the face of an escalating waste crisis, the Green Star Schools Program provides hands-on, age-appropriate strategies to reduce waste and protect the environment. Participating schools are able to cut waste by up to 67%, embedding sustainable practices into everyday school life and creating lasting change beyond the classroom.

Here are a few ways Eco-Cycle is helping schools reduce waste:

Zero Waste Event Kits: Celebrate More, Waste Less

School celebrations often generate huge amounts of single-use waste, from plastic cups to paper plates. To tackle this challenge, Eco-Cycle created Zero Waste Reusable Event Kits for Schools—a solution supported by funding from Boulder County, the Town of Superior, and the City/County of Broomfield. These kits provide everything needed for a waste-free celebration, including reusable plates, cups, utensils, and napkins. After the event, parent volunteers wash and return the items. Since launching, Eco-Cycle has distributed 74 kits to schools, including four Title I schools, proving that sustainability and celebration can go hand in hand.

CHaRMed Books Program

What happens to gently used kids’ books taken to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM)? Eco-Cycle’s CHaRMed Books Program ensures that these books get a second life in classrooms across Boulder County, bringing joy to newer readers. Books are carefully sorted by grade level and distributed to schools, focusing on those in under-resourced communities, through partnerships with family liaisons and teachers. 

In the 2023–24 school year, Eco-Cycle redistributed over 4,600 books to 30 local schools in three school districts to promote literacy and sustainability while reducing waste. 

Locker Leftovers

At the end of each school year, Eco-Cycle staff help students clean out their lockers and identify reusable school supplies. Reusable Items like notebooks, pens, binders, and more are sorted and saved for next school year, redistributed to other schools, or donated to local thrift stores. Items that can’t be reused are recycled responsibly, ensuring that less waste ends up in landfills. This initiative not only helps schools reduce waste but also fosters a sense of community and responsibility, teaching students the value of reusing what they already have.

The Bigger Picture

By embracing reuse, Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools Program is teaching the next generation about the power of reducing consumption, making sustainable choices, and minimizing waste. With each redistributed book, reused plate, and shared school supply, we’re encouraging students to make mindful, sustainable choices that will help them become environmental champions in their homes, communities, and beyond.

Want to see how your school can reduce waste and promote sustainability? Explore more of Eco-Cycle’s Green Star School waste reduction initiatives!

The post Waste Reduction in Action: Building Lifelong Habits Through Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools Program appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Right now in the Northern Hemisphere, nature is starting to come alive around us as the days grow longer and the temperatures warm, signaling winter is nearly at an end. Soon, we will start seeing hibernating creatures back in wilderness spaces again. 

What we hope not to spot on the trail OR in the recycling? Cans of bear spray! This item is a highly impacting non-recyclable contaminant at the Boulder County Recycling Center in Boulder. When well-meaning recyclers attempt to dispose of bear spray canisters—even if they’re empty—in their recycling, dangerous problems arise! For this reason, we are asking folks NOT to put cans from empty, unneeded, or expired bear spray in their recycling.

Why Bear Spray Can’t Be Recycled in Boulder County

Those in the know will tell you that the recycling guidelines for Boulder County DO NOT accept bear spray cans, even when empty! 

A can of bear spray is likely to go off inside the recycling sorting facility and be dispersed quickly throughout a large space filled with sorting line workers. Perhaps even more hazardous, because even empty canisters are still pressurized, they may explode when they get compressed by baling equipment. 

In either scenario, the bear spray puts workers’ health at risk and requires staff to stop the sorting line to rinse their faces, hands, and eyes in a hazardous chemical washing station. 

The plant must be vacated and remain immobile for enough time that the air clears sufficiently for staff to breathe safely. These delays are costly to the operating budget, and drive up the costs of recycling for recyclers and consumers alike.

Feeling confused about why empty bear spray cans are a NO when seemingly similar items are accepted for recycling, such as empty aerosol cans that contained hairspray or cleaning products? 

Take it from our staff of Eco-Cycle experts who operate the Boulder County Recycling Center, where all of the recyclables in Boulder County are collected, sorted, and baled for recycling markets: Bear spray is simply too powerful to risk bringing into the facility, even in very small quantities, including what you’d find in an “empty” canister. 

Bear Spray Disposal in Boulder County

If you’re looking for a bear spray disposal option near you, please take bear spray canisters, whether empty or partially full, to a hazardous materials management center.

The Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility accepts bear spray canisters from all residents in Boulder County, City and County of Broomfield, and the Town of Erie at no cost. Customers who live outside of these regions may drop off bear spray canisters and up to 40 gallons of household hazardous materials for a $45 fee.

Learn more about the top twelve recycling contaminants in Boulder County at ecocycle.org/dirty-dozen.

The post Bad News Bear Spray: How to Dispose of Expired Bear Spray appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Want to reduce your waste in 2025? If living a more sustainable, Zero Waste lifestyle is on your list, Eco-Cycle is here to help you succeed with these simple, impactful steps.

1) Trim Your “Waste” Line

Did you know that Americans generate over 292 million tons of trash annually—4.9 lb per person per day. Of this, only 32% is recycled or composted. In Colorado, the burden of our waste is much heavier! Coloradans produce on average over 5.6 lb of trash per day, and of that amount, only 16% is recycled or composted—half the national average! While systemic changes like Colorado’s Producer Responsibility legislation and the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act are making a difference, individual actions still matter. 

Start by auditing your trash and identifying areas for improvement with Eco-Cycle’s How to Quit Plastics Guide.

2) Save Money

Zero Waste can lead to big savings! For example:

• Thrift Shopping: Discover unique finds at thrift stores for a fraction of retail costs. Use our Tour de Thrift map to locate reuse stores in Boulder County.
• Repair Clinics: Fix items instead of replacing them at free repair events like Boulder’s U-Fix-It Clinic.
• Bulk Shopping: Cut costs by not paying for packaging. Locate bulk stores near you, or head to the bulk aisles of your local grocery store!

3) Eat Healthier

Avoiding unnecessary waste is a major goal for those striving for Zero Waste, and a lot of that excess comes in the form of food packaging. Opt for more “unpackaged” foods, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as bulk items like grains, nuts, and seeds. Go a step further by reducing not only packaging, but also the amount of food that ends up uneaten. Try these simple tips for reducing food waste, including planning out meals and using up food scraps to make soup broth and smoothies. 

What you can’t eat, make sure you compost! Composting not only cuts methane emissions from landfills but enriches soil, helping it sequester carbon and combat climate change.

4) Spend More Time Outdoors and Support Your Soil

Make 2025 the year you start a composting pile at home! When organic waste (food scraps, yard trimmings, etc.) is buried in landfills, methane—a potent greenhouse gas—is released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Composting organic waste avoids those methane emissions. In addition, healthy, compost-rich soil actually pulls significant amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere. 

Check out our step-by-step guide on how to compost in your own backyard!

5) Be More Active by Volunteering 

Hit the ground running in 2025 by becoming an Eco-Leader! Join a community of more than 1,000 local sustainability-minded individuals who stay active by attending Zero Waste trainings, getting involved in local Zero Waste campaigns, and serving as a sustainability resource for their offices, schools, and neighborhoods. Some Eco-Leaders take on big projects, and some take on small tasks, but any action makes a big difference in helping you and your community reduce waste. 

Sign up to become an Eco-Leader today!

6) Declutter Mindfully

Following the holiday festivities, January’s quieter days can be the perfect time to clear out and clean up. Here’s a look at some items commonly purged in the New Year that typically can be recycled (but check your local guidelines to make sure!):

Recycle these “hard-to-recycle” items at the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd. in Boulder:

• Electronics
• Mattresses
• Small appliances
• White block foam
• Plastic bags
• Scrap metal
• and more!

You can add these items to your curbside SINGLE-STREAM RECYCLING BIN in Boulder County:

• Corrugated cardboard: It might look like nothing special, but this material is the bread and butter of recycling operations like the Boulder County Recycling Center. Please flatten boxes and remove excess tape.
  
• Newspapers, office paper, and kraft paper: These items are typically recyclable in your curbside bin.
  
• Calendars: Paper calendars are a fine addition to your recycling bins. Please remove any plastic covers.
  
• Spiral notebooks and old planners: These are recyclable without removing the spiral binding, which gets screened out from paper in the remanufacturing process. Please remove plastic or non-paper covers and dividers, however.
  
• See what else can be recycled in Boulder County curbside bins in Eco-Cycle’s recycling guidelines!

Finally, prevent the need to declutter by looking for ways to reduce waste at home, including cutting out the biggest “wasters” and swapping in the best Zero Waste “winners”!

However you plan to approach the New Year, we at Eco-Cycle hope that 2025 brings you closer than ever to living in harmony with this beautiful planet. Cheers to a Zero Waste future!

The post This Year, Make Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Need to shred paperwork but not sure who you can trust? The Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is the place to do it! 

We’re proud to help Boulder County area residents shred paper securely and sustainably through our partnership with local green paper shredders Altitude DocuShred. Founded in 2019, Altitude DocuShred is a NAID AAA certified business based in nearby Arvada that has quickly grown to be the premier document shredding service in the Boulder and Denver Metro area—and best of all, 100% of the paper they shred is recycled into new products such as paper towels, toilet paper, and brown bags. 

The Benefits of Shredding Paper at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM in Boulder

This beats shredding paper at home, as once paper has been shredded, your options for recycling become very limited due to the logistics of collecting, sorting, and maintaining quality control for this material. Shredded paper is not curbside recyclable or compostable in many Colorado communities, including Boulder County. This is unfortunate when paper is one of the most environmentally beneficial materials to recycle, saving water, energy, transportation emissions—and of course, trees the planet needs to thrive!

The good news is, if you bring your old bank statements, tax documents, and other identity-compromising paperwork to the Eco-Cycle CHaRM in Boulder for shredding, not only do they get recycled, but you can rest assured that your information is handled securely to the highest standards while on-site at the CHaRM, and onward down the supply chain.

Just ask Greg Miller, co-owner and operator of Altitude Docushred: “We became business partners with CHaRM when they were struggling with a vendor they had that did the paper shredding. I met with Justin Stockdale [the director of CHaRM at Eco-Cycle] and we talked over what his main concern was: security, and customer service, and that’s really our bailiwick. It’s been a great relationship for a couple of years now.” 

This family-owned and operated local business has a mobile shredding service area in Colorado that includes anywhere from Cheyenne, Wyoming, all the way down the Front Range to Colorado Springs; as far east as Aurora, and west to Golden. While they do not service locations in the mountains, Greg adds, “We’ll work with companies that are in areas where we don’t go, and they’ll bring it down into our drop-off area, where we’ll shred it in one of our trucks.”

Eco-Cycle and Altitude DocuShred Partner for Secure and Sustainable Paper Shredding 

Documents dropped off at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM in Boulder are assessed a small fee for quantities equal to one or more “banker’s boxes” (check our fee chart for current pricing), and then customers are welcome to empty their container into our large blue vault containing wheeled collection toters that are out of reach from the drop-off window, locked securely outside of business hours, and regularly emptied into Altitude’s state-of-the-art mobile shredding truck to be shredded right here on-site. Your documents never leave the property intact when dropped off at the CHaRM in Boulder. If you live at a distance from CHaRM, you may also be glad to know that Altitude offers drop-off shredding service at their main office and warehouse in Arvada, Colorado. 

• Watch the video to learn more about their operation, family story, and the finer points of their security protocols, as well as how their truck facilitates the recycling process!

These expert shred professionals can truly do it all, according to Altitude director of operations Spencer Tscherpel: “We provide residential service, business-to-business service, recurring service, putting a secure bin in your office, shred events—anything that has to do with keeping secure information safe and destroyed properly.” 

Small pieces of metal attached to papers do NOT need to be removed. Spare yourself some effort and leave those staples, paper clips, binder clips, spiral notebooks, and hanging file folders intact! The shredding truck contains rotating knives that make short work of these small, soft metal items—but please remove large metal objects such as three-ring binders, and any other non-paper items such as CDs and plastic, which are contaminants.

Look for Altitude’s green logo on their mobile shredding trucks around the Front Range, inspired by a vintage green Chevy pickup on display in their Arvada warehouse that belonged to Greg’s beloved late father and has been refurbished by Spencer and their family. Lori Miller, co-owner of Altitude DocuShred, explains how this truck helped shape their brand: “It’s kind of the icon of our family, so we had to stick with the green. It’s a reminder that we are all your family, that we come from a line of hard workers, and that we stick together.”

Wondering what else you can recycle at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM? Click here to learn more about what we accept!

The post Paper Shredding Services in Boulder appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

More than 1 million people have their identity stolen every year in the US. That’s a nightmare no one wants to face! When this happens, credit cards may be opened, tax refunds stolen, or health insurance used fraudulently. Even scarier, victims typically spend between six months to several years recovering and securing their accounts. 

Why Recycling Electronics Matters

On top of protecting your data, recycling your electronics keeps harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury, and flame retardants out of the environment. The impact of these toxins on people and the planet is the reason why, in Colorado, it’s illegal to throw electronics in the trash. Plus, electronics contain valuable metals including copper, silver, and other rare earth elements that can be reused, reducing the need for mining.

Safe and Secure Electronics Recycling at CHaRM

To protect your data—and the environment—take your electronics to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd in Boulder, and open Monday–Saturday, 9 am–5 pm. 

Our electronics recycling partner, Blue Star Recyclers, is certified in the most rigorous data-destruction standards through the National Association of Information Destruction (NAID AAA Certification®), ensuring your personal information is secure. Blue Star Recyclers is also E-Steward certified, ensuring that they are adherent to the highest standards of environmental responsibility and worker protection. 

What happens to your electronics?

After you drop off your electronics at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, they are transported to Blue Star Recyclers’ Denver facility, where the e-waste is sorted by category. General electronics (like vacuum cleaners, keyboards, DVD players, etc.) are processed by third-party recyclers. Electronics that could contain sensitive information, like computers, laptops, and servers, are processed on-site. These devices are brought to a secure storage area, where hard disk drives, solid state drives, and other data-containing storage devices are either physically destroyed or digitally wiped.

Data destruction protocols at a glance:

• Any computer that can be refurbished is first digitally wiped with special software to ensure all stored data is deleted, ensuring no sensitive information carries over to the new user.  

• If a computer is not recoverable as a whole, some parts may still be functional for reuse. This includes the processors, RAM, solid-state drives, and hard disk drives. The data drives are digitally wiped and then tested for functionality before resale. 

• If a computer’s drives are not recoverable and thus destined for scrap, the drives are physically destroyed. This is done with a drive shredder, which mechanically destroys the drive, rendering it unreadable. 

Don’t let your old electronics and personal data come back to haunt you! Drop them off at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM and rest assured that your identity and the environment are well protected. Learn more at ecocycle.org/charm!

The post Don’t Let Your Data Haunt You: Safely Recycle Electronics at CHaRM appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

For over three decades, we’ve partnered with Boulder, Broomfield, and Weld County public schools through our Schools Programs to support waste reduction and provide extensive environmental education. This education is amplified when sustainability practices are incorporated at home!

Here are 7 tips to help you reduce your family’s impact this fall:

1. Shop what you already have before buying new stuff.
   Before filling your shopping cart with brand-new school supplies, figure out what you already own. Reuse is always the best option—plus you’ll save a few bucks! If you’ve been buying supplies for a few years, there’s a good chance you already have some of the stuff on the school supply list. 

2. Host a supply swap.
   If you still don’t have everything you need, host a party and swap some supplies. Double win: You can finally get rid of that drawer full of pencils you’ve been hanging on to!

3. Pack your lunch with reusables!
   Food packaging is a significant source of waste in schools. To reduce your personal impact, replace single-use disposable items such as Ziploc–type sandwich bags, plastic straws, and juice pouches with reusable food containers, beverage bottles, cutlery, and lunch containers. 

4. Buy snacks in bulk.
   To reduce single-use disposable food packaging—such as single-serving chip bags—buy snacks in bulk and pack portions in reusable containers each day or during meal prep.

5. Reduce wasted food.
   If your student eats a hot lunch at school, remind them to take only what they can eat, since they can always go back for more. Ask your student if they have a food share station at their school where they can share packaged food and uneaten whole fruit. Remind your student they can save uneaten snacks to eat after school.

6. Label everything.
   Make sure your child’s name is visible on all of their stuff to avoid accidental loss. This includes clothes, jackets, reusable food containers (including the lids), backpacks, etc. The best way to reduce waste is to avoid buying new stuff, and keeping track of items is a great strategy. 

7. Celebrate more, waste less!
   Classroom celebrations are fun for everyone, but it’s an easy way to create a lot of waste, from non-recyclable plastic cups and utensils to plastic-coated paper plates. A surefire way to reduce party waste is to swap out single-use cutlery, plates, cups, and napkins for reusables. See our tips for Zero Waste school events here!

Thanks to funding from Boulder County, the Town of Superior, and the City/County of Broomfield, Eco-Cycle has launched our Zero Waste Reusable Event Kits for Schools! Instead of volunteers buying single-use plates, cups, utensils, and napkins for classroom celebrations, families can use the event kit full of reusable plates, cups, utensils, and napkins! After a celebration, volunteers take the materials home to wash, and return them to the school.

While our Zero Waste Reusable Event Kits for Schools program is growing, we are unable to reach every school. This school year, check in with your local school to see if they could benefit from creating a Zero Waste Reusable Event Kit! If so, ask other parents to chip in to create one or more kits, which we recommend to include:

• Lightweight, stackable small plastic plates
• Lightweight, stackable small plastic cups
• Reusable utensils
• Reusable cloth napkins
• A few silicone straws and utensils. Silicone is flexible and soft, meaning these straws don’t pose a risk of injury for those with special needs.
• A large plastic storage box to put everything inside

What are your waste-reduction strategies for the back-to-school frenzy? If you are a teacher, how do you reduce waste in the classroom? Parents, what tips have worked best for you? Let us know! Email recycle@ecocycle.org, or tag us on social with your Zero Waste solutions!

The post Seven Tips for Going Zero Waste This School Year appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

The US is among the top largest markets for books in the world, second only to China. Over one-third of Americans report keeping 50 or more books in their homes, with 7% owning 500 or more books! When making room on our bookshelves, we typically discard some old books by donating or gifting them to friends and family. Even so, an estimated 320 million books are sent to landfills in the US each year, adding to America’s problem with waste, resource depletion, and climate change.

The Environmental Cost of Landfilling Books

When books are thrown away rather than donated or recycled, the trees, water, and energy used in their production are wasted. Producing paper for books consumes vast amounts of resources, including over 9.5 million gallons of water and 32,600 trees to make 1 million books. For the 320 million books landfilled in the US each year, that equates to over 3 billion gallons of water and over 10.4 million trees going to waste in the trash!

The environmental costs don’t end there. Once in landfills, books also contribute to methane emissions. When organic material (like paper) decomposes without oxygen in a landfill, it creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas with a warming potential 84 times greater than carbon dioxide. The decomposition process in landfills is slow, so landfilled books can release methane for decades!

The Challenge of Recycling Books

Unlike newspapers, magazines, mail, and office paper, books are typically not recyclable in your curbside bin. Why? The glues, inks, mixed materials, and coatings found in many books create recycling challenges. Additionally, the paper in many books, especially mass-market paperbacks, is made from low-quality fibers that are too short to be recycled (similar to paper towels and napkins). Hardcover book covers are especially problematic for recycling because they may contain non-recyclable materials like cloth or plastic. These covers require manual removal, which can be time- and labor-intensive.

Reusing and Recycling Books in Boulder County

At the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), we’ve been accepting books for 20 years. Simply bring your books to our book drop, and our staff will identify books that can be redistributed to organizations in our community—including local schools! Those books that cannot be reused and reread are recycled as cellulose insulation in the next chapter of their lives. 

Eco-Cycle’s “CHaRMed Books Program” returns gently used books brought to the CHaRM to local teachers, students, and families at schools in underserved and under-resourced communities. These books are available free of charge, and are often used as prizes and rewards for students. Last year, we redistributed over 4,000 books throughout Boulder and Broomfield Counties!

How you can help “turn the page” on wasted books:

• Bring your unwanted books to the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, located at 6400 Arapahoe Road in Boulder! Deposit your books in our weather-resistant book drop, and our staff will sort through them, recycling those that are no longer usable, and rehoming all other books! Please only drop off books that are clean, dry, and free of mold. (Note: A $3 facility use fee applies per vehicle.)

• Become a CHaRMed Books Program volunteer! Volunteers help sort, process, and redistribute used children’s books to students at local schools in under-resourced communities during the school year. Ideally, volunteers would be available for one day every two weeks for a couple of hours between 9 am and 5 pm. If you are interested in an opportunity to support Eco-Cycle’s CHaRMed Books project, email marita@ecocycle.org!

• Donate to support our CHaRMed Books Program! With foundational funding for our CHaRMed Books Program from our partners at Elevations Credit Union, we’re starting the school year strong! However, your support allows us to distribute more books to more local schools, free of charge. Donate to this program here (be sure to type “books” in the “Donation dedication” field.

Let’s work together to close the book on waste—one recycled or rehomed book at a time—because every book deserves a second chapter!

The post Recycling, by the Book appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Remember the headlines years ago about the ozone layer crisis? Scientists identified that the hole in the ozone was primarily caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a group of chemicals commonly found in Freon appliances like refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.

The global response to this crisis was fortunately swift. Thanks to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty signed in 1987 by every country on the planet, we have restricted the production of nearly 100 ozone-depleting substances, including CFCs, so effectively that the atmosphere is healing the damage done to the ozone layer—but recovering used refrigerants is still essential.

That’s where the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) comes in. Since 2001, it has been a vital resource for recycling unusual items safely and efficiently to protect both the environment and public health.

Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM Facility Takes on Refrigerant Recycling

When refrigerators, freezers, air-conditioning units, and dehumidifiers are functioning normally, they are not posing much environmental risk. But when they malfunction or die, it’s important not to chuck them in the landfill and to take them, instead, to a recycler like the Eco-Cycle CHaRM. 

In the ever-evolving recycling industry, downstream recycling markets (especially for hard-to-recycle materials) can come and go, and the Eco-Cycle CHaRM has faced repeated challenges with disappearing markets for Freon recovery. When the local option for refrigerant processing fell through earlier this year, our operations team was faced with a dilemma—how to continue offering this vital service to the community without a reliable partner to handle the complex and accredited process of Freon removal.

Rather than abandoning the service, Eco-Cycle brought refrigerant-recovery operations in-house. This decision wasn’t made lightly. It required training and professional certification of CHaRM staff to safely extract refrigerants from appliances dropped off at the facility. The process also demanded significant adjustments to the center’s operations, including additional labor and the necessity of raising the fees for Freon appliance drop-offs to cover these new costs.

As CHaRM navigated these hurdles, the steady stream of refrigerant-containing appliances arriving at the facility showed no signs of slowing. At times, the sheer volume of appliances pushed the center’s storage capacity to its limits. However, through the dedication of our warehouse operations team, we established a system that maximizes labor efficiency while safely recovering both refrigerant chemicals and the scrap metal from dozens of Freon appliances each week.

Thanks to these efforts, CHaRM not only continues to serve the local community in Boulder County and beyond, but also contributes to a larger environmental mission—keeping harmful refrigerants out of the environment and valuable materials out of the landfill.

Learn more about our Freon appliance recycling processes, and the top three best practices for recycling your Freon appliances at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, in this video starring our two certified-expert staff members, Finn and Avery!

Understanding Freon: The Legacy and Impact of a Once-Revolutionary Refrigerant

Freon, a brand name now synonymous with chemical refrigerants, was initially developed as a safer alternative to the highly toxic substances used in early refrigeration systems. The Freon trademark includes a range of chemical compounds found in modern cooling units, from refrigerators to air conditioners. 

One of the most notorious refrigerants in the Freon family is R-12, once hailed as an industry standard. But its environmental impact—specifically its role in depleting the ozone layer—led to its inclusion in the Montreal Protocol, the landmark 1987 treaty that enacted bans on the further production of many ozone-depleting substances. Despite the phase-outs, these chemicals still linger in older appliances, many of which find their way to the CHaRM in Boulder, where they’re safely recovered for reuse.

Refrigerants come in various types, each with a different Global Warming Potential (GWP). Read on to see them ranked from bad to better!

• R-12—This refrigerant is the worst that we tend to see, and is ozone-depleting. The Montreal Protocol outlawed new production of this refrigerant as of 1996, but when safely recovered from existing appliances, it can legally be put back into units that are only able to use this type. Global Warming Potential: 10,800 times as harmful for the atmosphere as CO₂ 

• R-22—This refrigerant, common to air-conditioning units and dehumidifiers, is also ozone-depleting. GWP: 5,310 times as harmful as CO₂ 

• R-410a—Common to ACs and dehumidifiers. In 2025, the EPA will ban this refrigerant from inclusion in new units. GWP: 4,260 times as harmful as CO₂ 

• R-134a—These units are the most common type we get at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, but that may change when in 2025, the EPA also bans R-134a from inclusion in new units. Studies show that this type of refrigerant poses health risks to those who come in contact with it. GWP: 3,810 times as harmful as CO₂ 

• R-32—This is what most new air conditioners and dehumidifiers use today and is an improvement on past refrigerants. GWP: 2,530 times as harmful as CO₂ 

• R-600a—This is what most new fridges use these days, and is the most environmentally friendly refrigerant, as it is more or less equivalent to CO₂ and poses the smallest risk to the atmosphere. Draining should still be conducted by a professional, as the gas is highly flammable. 

Find the full list of materials accepted for recycling at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM at ecocycle.org/what-we-accept!

The post How Your Refrigerator Affects the Planet . . . and How Eco-Cycle Can Help! appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Look around! Wherever you are right now, plastic is likely in your sightline. But it doesn’t have to be so! While going entirely plastic-free might feel impossible, adopting small changes adds up to make a real difference. Here are 24 tips for Plastic Free July 2024 to help you reduce plastic use and contribute to a healthier planet!

 1. Perform a Waste Audit to Analyze Your Habits

The first step in tackling any challenge is to examine the problem! To start reducing your waste, take a look at what you’re purchasing, using, and throwing away.

Use the Waste Audit worksheets in our free How to Quit Plastics Guide to walk you through the process!

2. Carry a Reusable Water Bottle and Coffee Cups

This is a well-known, but impacting step. Invest in a stainless steel or glass water bottle and steel travel mug. These simple swaps prevent countless plastic bottles and plastic-coated coffee cups from ending up in landfills.

 3. Bring Your Own Shopping Bags

Keep reusable shopping bags in your car, purse, or bag so that you always have them when heading to the store—this can really go a long way in preventing plastics! For example, as large Colorado retail stores phased out plastic bags in the past year, more customers brought their own reusable bags, avoiding the use of over 1.5 BILLION plastic bags!

 4. Use Cloth Produce Bags

Instead of grabbing a plastic produce bag in the produce aisle, bring your own cloth bags—they’re reusable, washable, and perfect for fruits and veggies! Or place produce loose in your cart until you’re home and able to store items in your own containers!

 5. Say No to Plastic Straws and Utensils

If you don’t need a straw, let your wait staffer know when you order your drink. When ordering take-out, opt out of plastic utensils, napkins, and condiments. Better yet—make your own Zero Waste on-the-go kit using tips from our How to Quit Plastics Guide!

6. Switch to Solid Soap and Shampoo Bars

Eliminate plastic bottles from your bathroom by using solid soap and shampoo bars. They last longer than bottled versions, and come in minimal to no packaging.

 7. Make Your Own Cleaning Products

DIY cleaning products using natural ingredients (like vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and essential oils) are nontoxic, and can be made inexpensively and stored in glass or other reusable containers, reducing the need for new plastic bottles.

8. Buy in the Bulk Aisle

Purchase items like grains, nuts, dried fruits, and candies in the bulk aisle of your local grocery store using your own reusable bags to avoid plastic packaging. Find more tips on Zero Waste shopping in our guide, How to Quit Plastics!

9. Opt Out of Junk Mail

Avoid the plastic windows and other plastic materials (such as credit card promotions) that are mailed to you by following our Stop Junk Mail instructions! This is a great way to reduce unnecessary plastic production as well as deforestation. 

10. Opt for Reusable Food Wraps

Replace plastic cling wrap with reusable beeswax or vegan wax wraps. They’re great for covering bowls, wrapping snacks to go, and storing leftovers.

11. Pack Lunch in Reusable Containers

Ditch single-use plastic bags and opt for stainless steel or glass containers, or reusable silicone bags to wrap up your lunch and snacks.

12. Shop at Farmers’ Markets

Buying fresh produce from farmers’ markets or farm stands means less packaging and more opportunities to use your reusable bags!

13. DIY Snacks and Meals

Make your own homemade snacks and meals instead of buying pre-packaged ones to reduce plastic waste. For example, breads, crackers, and granola are typically sold in plastic packaging, but can readily be made at home!

14. Use Cloth Napkins and Towels

Switch to cloth napkins and towels instead of single-use paper ones and avoid the plastic packaging they’re sold in.

15. Choose Plastic-Free Cosmetics

Select cosmetics that come in glass or metal containers, or those sold in refillable packaging.

16. Avoid Microbeads

Choose skincare products without microbeads, which are tiny plastic particles harmful to marine life. Check the label and avoid products that list “polyethylene” as an ingredient.

17. Buy Secondhand

Each new garment typically comes in its own plastic garment bag (known as “polybags” in the apparel industry) that is removed before the clothing item goes on the sales floor. Opt for secondhand clothing, as well as household items, to reduce the demand for new products and their plastic packaging. 

18. Support Plastic-Free Businesses

Visit a local Zero Waste store where you can purchase hundreds of items—including food staples, shampoo, and cleaning supplies—using your own reusable containers or with reusable/refillable containers supplied! Locally, check out stores like Simply Bulk in Longmont and Nude Foods in Boulder and Denver. 

19. Ask for Reusables for Your To-Go Order 

Single-use disposable plastics aren’t a necessary evil. Businesses like r.World, DeliverZero, and OZZI are helping restaurants, campuses, and community events go Zero Waste with reusable food and beverage to-go containers. Ask your favorite restaurant if they have a reusable to-go container option! If they don’t, ask for your to-go order to be plated “for here” and then put it in your own to-go container to avoid plastic and other single-use disposables. 

20. Repair and Reuse

Mend broken items instead of replacing them or find creative ways to repurpose old items. Instead of purchasing a new electronic item, shop for reused/refurbished instead.

21. Refuse Receipts

Many people don’t know that some paper items, including receipts, are coated with plastic polymers and aren’t recyclable. Choose digital receipts instead—or no receipt at all!

22. Consume with Care

Some plastics are more recyclable and less toxic than others. Avoid buying anything packaged in #3, #6, #7 plastic—learn about the environmental and health risks of these plastics here.

23. Recycle What You Can (and Buy Recycled Content)

If you do buy products packaged in plastic, be selective about what you are purchasing. Try to limit your purchases to products that really don’t have other packaging options available, and when possible, buy plastics that are recyclable (check with your local guidelines) and/or are made from recycled content! 

24. Support local, statewide, and national policies that address plastic

Communities across the nation are taking a stand against the proliferation of plastics. Support efforts at the local, state, and national levels to reduce plastics, such as policies to put a fee on plastic bags, invest in reuse systems, and phase out toxic, unrecyclable plastics!

Plastic Free July can be a powerful catalyst for examining our daily choices and their impact on our health and the environment. By implementing some of these 24 tips, you can see how much plastic you can refuse this July and beyond—and inspire others to do the same! For extra credit, use our How to Quit Plastics Guide to help you transition toward a more sustainable, less plastic-dependent lifestyle!

The post 24 Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Use in 2024 appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

To protect communities and support the elimination of the most toxic and unnecessary plastics, plastics with a #3, #6, or #7 will no longer be accepted in Boulder County.

Plastic is everywhere—in our oceans, our environment, and even our bodies. Recycling alone could not possibly solve this crisis. It is crucial to reduce plastic production, beginning with the elimination of the most unnecessary, toxic, and non-recyclable plastics. In their place, we need to innovate reuse solutions wherever possible, and ensure that any remaining packaging is authentically recyclable or compostable.

Thankfully, there is growing momentum from environmental groups, recycling industries, and even plastic manufacturers, as well as local, state, and federal policy, aimed at doing just that. As a result, the worst and most toxic plastics, #3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC), #6 polystyrene (PS), or #7 polycarbonate (PC), may soon be out of circulation. To support these efforts, Boulder County, the owner of the Boulder County Recycling Center (BCRC), and Eco-Cycle, the nonprofit operator of the facility, will no longer accept plastics with #3, #6, or #7 on them.

Elimination of Problematic and Unnecessary Plastics 

In 2022, a group of more than 100 companies, governments, nonprofits, and public sector organizations comprising the U.S. Plastics Pact released an unprecedented statement: the Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List. Together, they identified a list of plastics and additives so bad even the plastic industry agreed they should no longer be made. Participating industry groups voluntarily agreed to eliminate production of items on the list by 2025, which includes plastic cutlery, stirrers and straws, intentionally added PFAS, carbon black plastic, #3 PVC, #6 PS, and more. 

Simultaneously, in 2022, Eco-Cycle worked to help pass Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Colorado for packaging and paper, a statewide policy that holds producers financially and operationally responsible for a product’s management throughout its life cycle. Producer Responsibility requires producers of packaging and printed paper to pay dues based on the type and amount of material they put into Colorado markets. It utilizes a concept called “eco-modulation,” where the use of product materials that are considered harmful to the environment are disincentivized through higher dues that the producer must pay into the EPR system, and the use of materials that are considered better for the environment are rewarded by having lower dues required. For example, a highly recyclable product like an unwrapped aluminum can might have the lowest fees, while a package that is more toxic and not recyclable will pay more. The funds raised from the program will support recycling infrastructure, collections, education, and reuse and refill innovations. 

Implementation of the policy will include a list of materials that are readily recyclable. Materials that are not on that list will incur higher financial costs. There is likely to be much overlap between the list of materials deemed problematic and unnecessary by the industry group and those not deemed recyclable by the state of Colorado’s EPR program, including #3, #6, and #7 plastics. Eco-Cycle has long advocated for the elimination of these plastics and educated the community to avoid them. In support of this long-held stance, plastics with #3, #6, or #7 will no longer be accepted in Boulder County.

What to Expect in Boulder County 

Most plastics with numbers #3, #6, or #7 are already listed as a “no” on the recycling guidelines for Boulder County, and they represent a tiny percentage of incoming recyclable material at the facility. You will usually find a #6 PS on polystyrene foam (often referred to as Styrofoam), for example, which has never been accepted at the BCRC facility, and in fact, as of January 1, 2024, polystyrene foam is banned from distribution at Colorado restaurants. A #3 PVC plastic is used most prevalently in vinyl shower curtains, plastic food wrap, inflatable goods, pet toys, etc., all of which have never been recyclable in Boulder County. 

The least toxic and most recyclable plastics represent the majority of what we accept in our guidelines: bottles, tubs, jugs, jars, clamshells, and some rigid plastics labeled #1 PETE, #2 HDPE, or #5 PP. 

Most plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, jars, and clamshells will have a #1, #2, or #5 on them, but on rare occasions may have a resin code of #3 PVC, #6 PS, or #7 PC (or “OTHER”) and should be avoided. In addition to not putting these items in your recycling cart, you can reduce their circulation by being mindful about not purchasing them. 

The Problem with #3, #6, and #7 Plastics 

These plastic resin types have always been challenging to recycle due to toxicity and having little to no market value.  

Polyvinyl chloride plastic (marked with a #3) is highly toxic at every stage of its life cycle, from production to disposal. PVC is everywhere in your home and office, from flooring to siding, shower curtains to placemats, tablecloths to children’s toys. It is also in some single-use plastic products, including plastic wrap, cooking oil bottles, and food packaging. The primary building block of PVC, vinyl chloride, is a potent carcinogen. America witnessed the impact of vinyl chloride in February 2023 when a train carrying nearly 116,000 gallons of the chemical derailed in East Palestine, Pennsylvania. More than a year later, many residents are still displaced, and cleanup efforts are ongoing. The harmful chemicals in the plastic have also been found to leach into food through contact.

Polystyrene, which can be a rigid plastic, but is often found in its expanded form (often referred to as Styrofoam), is marked with a #6, and is also a toxic plastic. The primary ingredient in polystyrene—styrene—is a likely carcinogen. The expanded foam easily breaks down, entering the environment, wildlife, and even humans. Food-grade polystyrene is commonly found in plastic cups, cutlery, and food containers. NOTE: Eco-Cycle WILL CONTINUE TO ACCEPT #6 block foam (the material used to package large appliances, electronics, etc.) at the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), though food-grade polystyrene will remain on the list of items that are not accepted at CHaRM. 

The catch-all category #7 plastic resin type refers either to polycarbonate (PC) or anything else in the plastic stream that doesn’t fit within the first six categories (“OTHER”). It is commonly used for stuff like plastic baby bottles and sippy cups, toys for kids and pets, and car parts. Often, #7 PC can contain highly dangerous BPA (Bisphenol A). Lab tests show that BPA appears to copy or disturb the hormone estrogen and affect the reproductive system, which could raise the consumer’s risk for cancer. Plastic #7 has always been challenging to recycle due to slim or nonexistent market demand. NOTE: #7 PLA is different. It refers to plant-based plastics, often designed to be compostable (but not recyclable). 

Ultimately, the elimination of these problematic plastics from circulation due to voluntary efforts from industry and government regulations reflects a growing global momentum to protect our communities from plastic pollution. Plastic types #3, #6, and #7 are the worst of the bunch and we wave them goodbye with enthusiasm as we progress toward a Zero Waste, circular economy.

The post Keeping Problematic Plastics Out of Circulation and the Recycling appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Located in East Boulder, Recycle Row is a unique corridor with several Zero Waste facilities dedicated to helping residents and businesses reuse and recycle their discards responsibly, fostering a culture of sustainable resource management in the community.

Eco-Cycle is proud to be an integral part of Recycle Row, operating the Boulder County Recycling Center and founding the nation’s first Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). We collaborate with mission-aligned organizations, including our neighbor at 6400 Arapahoe Road, Resource Central, as well as the Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility, and Western Disposal, to advance resource conservation.

Read on to learn more about the member organizations of Recycle Row and the services available to you, and watch this video produced by Boulder County to see Recycle Row facilities in action!

Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM)

Founded in 2001, the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) creates an opportunity to recycle unusual items not typically accepted in curbside programs. By accepting dozens of hard-to-recycle materials at our drop-off location in Boulder, the CHaRM makes it easier for area residents and businesses to responsibly recycle (and in some cases, reuse) these items.

Accepted Items at Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM

• Electronics, including computers, monitors, printers, and cell phones. E-waste contains hazardous materials that can harm the environment if not disposed of properly, making it illegal to dump electronics in the trash in Colorado.
• Plastic Bags and Bubble Wrap: Unlike plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, jars, and clamshells, plastic bags and other polyethylene films are not accepted in curbside recycling because they get tangled in recycling machinery. However, when collected separately from curbside recyclables, this material can be recycled into composite lumber for outdoor furniture and decking—or even turned back into film plastic!
• Documents for Shredding, including loose office paper, folders, and envelopes—staples and paper clips do not need to be removed. 
• Block White Styrofoam, often seen in the form of the rigid material in which electronics are packaged inside the box. Food-grade styrofoam containers and cups are NOT accepted, and are being phased out in Colorado thanks to the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act championed by Eco-Cycle in 2021. Packing peanuts are also not accepted for recycling at CHaRM, but can often be reused by shipping companies.
• Scrap Metal, which include items that are at least 50% metal by weight and contain no refrigerants—everything from metal caps less than 2 inches in diameter (which are too small to put in your curbside recycling bin) to pots and pans, microwaves,  water heaters, and non-Freon appliances.
• Large Plastics, made of #2 HDPE or #5 PP only and less than 3 feet in length in every direction, including all-plastic kiddie pools, lawn chairs, trash cans, buckets, laundry baskets, and milk crates.
• Freon Appliances, including all sizes of refrigerators, freezers, air-conditioning units, and dehumidifiers.  
• And more! See our full list of accepted items and fees here.

Resource Central

Co-located with Eco-Cycle at 6400 Arapahoe Road, Resource Central is a fellow nonprofit organization facilitating Zero Waste in Boulder by accepting donations of reusable building materials, and selling these reclaimed items to the public at a fraction of the original price. Resource Central also runs effective and innovative programs to save water, conserve energy, and reduce waste.

Accepted Items at Resource Central

Resource Central accepts donations of new and gently used building materials, such as:

• Lumber
• Hardware
• Cabinetry and doors
• Plumbing fixtures
• Sinks
• Appliances in good working condition

Resource Central also takes some housewares such as shelving units. Learn more about what items they accept at resourcecentral.org/reuse/material-donations.

Looking to purchase building materials at prices significantly below retail cost? Visit the Materials Reuse Store co-located on the same property as the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, open Monday through Saturday, 9 am–5 pm. 

Boulder County Recycling Center (BCRC)

The Boulder County Recycling Center, operated by Eco-Cycle, is a state-of-the-art facility that processes recyclable materials from Boulder County and beyond. If you live in Boulder County, your curbside single-stream recycling is brought here to be sorted, baled, and sold to end markets for remanufacturing, ensuring your recyclables are returned to the supply chain.

At the Boulder County Recycling Center Drop-Off Center, located at 1901 63rd St. in Boulder, the community can bring single-stream recycling materials for free drop-off! Accepted items include paper, cardboard, glass bottles, aluminum or metal cans, and plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars. 

• Find a Boulder County recycling center near you with this map 
• Find a list of materials accepted curbside in our Recycling Guide for Boulder County

Hazardous Materials Management Facility (HMMF)

Proper disposal of hazardous waste is critical to protecting both human health and the environment. Boulder County’s Hazardous Materials Management Facility (HMMF), located at 1901 63rd St. in Boulder (just to the west of the Boulder County Recycling Center), offers a safe and responsible solution for managing hazardous materials, ensuring the health of our community and environment. 

Accepted Items at Boulder County’s Hazardous Waste Drop-Off:

• Household Chemicals: Items such as cleaning products, pesticides, and paint thinners are accepted. These materials can be extremely harmful if disposed of improperly.
• Fluorescent Bulbs: Fluorescent bulbs require special handling to prevent environmental contamination, since they contain mercury.
• Automotive Fluids: Used motor oil, antifreeze, and other automotive fluids are accepted. Proper disposal prevents these substances from polluting waterways.
• Batteries: All types are accepted—please tape your lithium batteries.
• Vaping Accessories 
• LED Bulbs
• Camping Fuel Containers (under 1 pound)

Western Disposal

Western Disposal provides comprehensive waste management services, including housing the Boulder County and City of Boulder Yard Waste and Wood Waste Drop-Off Center, trash collection, and recycling. Visit their location at 2051 63rd St. in Boulder to drop off a host of materials, including:

• Yard debris: branches, stumps, leaves, etc.
• Construction & Demolition (C&D) materials
• And more!

Recycle Row in Boulder exemplifies our community’s commitment to Zero Waste and sustainability. Whether you’re looking to recycle electronics, donate building materials, safely dispose of hazardous waste, or find a home for C&D materials, Recycle Row has you covered! The next time you’re in Boulder, take a trip down Recycle Row and see sustainability in action.

• Learn more about these facilities in the latest edition of the Eco-Cycle Guide!

The post Take a Trip Down Recycle Row, Boulder’s Hub for Sustainability appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

This May 5–11, environmental and recycling businesses, organizations, and individuals across the US are commemorating International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), an annual event highlighting the many benefits of using compost and recycling organics such as food scraps and yard debris. 

Progress Following Regional Compost Guidelines Changes

Here in Colorado’s Front Range, this year’s ICAW marks approximately one year since the region’s primary compost manufacturer took measures to reduce significant contamination challenges by limiting accepted materials to food scraps and yard trimmings only, excluding paper, paper towels, and compostable tableware. These changes prompted most restaurants and businesses to remove all compost bins from customer access. Schools that are part of Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools (GSS) program also needed to pause and adapt student participation in compost collections. Now, one year later, the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley School Districts participating in Eco-Cycle’s GSS program have innovated a shift in their operations to resume composting, accompanied by the use of reusable foodware over single-use products at school events, setting a precedent for other institutions and businesses to follow.

It is essential to teach students right there at the compost bin what is and isn’t compostable, so Eco-Cycle’s environmental educators go “out to lunch” in the school cafeterias every single day to help students as they’re clearing their trays, providing one-on-one training on correctly sorting food scraps at the compost bin. It has been extraordinarily successful, and GSS schools are proving that we can collect clean compost.

Eco-Cycle’s award-winning Green Star Schools program is the first in the nation to address waste reduction and the collection of compostables, in addition to recyclables, in every aspect of school life— from classrooms and hallways to cafeterias and special events. Composting is an essential component of the GSS program as food makes up 50–80% (by weight) of school cafeteria discards. With the addition of Colorado’s new free lunch program for all public school students, food waste has increased. Up to two-thirds of the discards from each GSS are kept out of landfills, which is almost double the national recycling and composting rate. The Eco-Cycle GSS program serves 66 regional schools in two districts—43 in Boulder Valley and 23 in St. Vrain Valley—educating 32,382 students and 4,093 staff members. The successes in these schools would not be possible without the partnerships between Eco-Cycle and custodial, kitchen, administrative, district, and municipal sustainability leadership.

The changes in compost guidelines presented a concerning lost opportunity for students because many of the schools have been composting for 19 years. Committed to giving students the opportunity to compost, Eco-Cycle’s GSS program, Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley School Districts, and individual schools innovated a shift in their operations to adapt to new composting procedures. Eco-Cycle’s team of environmental educators now go on-site in classrooms and cafeterias, providing extensive support in re-educating students and school staff about the changes. 

“Boulder Valley School District began composting with Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools Program in 2005. As a result of this partnership and with support from Boulder County, the City of Boulder, the Town of Superior, and the City/County of Broomfield, Boulder Valley School District has expanded to 43 Green Star Schools spanning two counties, with more to come,” said Ghita Carroll, BVSD Sustainability and Energy Officer. “For students in these schools, Zero Waste is part of their daily routine. Through their hands-on experience reducing waste, composting, and recycling, environmental conservation becomes less of an abstract concept and instead is the norm for these children.”

According to Curtis Leonard, Energy & Sustainability Specialist at St. Vrain Valley School District, “The Green Star Schools program has been an exceptional resource and cornerstone of sustainability programming in many of our schools at SVVSD. At the heart of St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Energy & Sustainability Program is a commitment to conscientiously managing waste and material flows. Through compost education initiatives and nurturing partnerships within our schools, Eco-Cycle and the Green Star Schools program are actively fostering an ethos of sustainability within the culture of our schools.” 

Reusable Zero Waste School Event Kits

Eco-Cycle’s environmental educators were also committed to supporting the schools in composting at events, parties, and meetings. Historically, these gatherings typically involved the use of single-use compostable cutlery, plates, and cups, but these items are no longer allowed in the compost stream. The Eco-Cycle schools team solved that problem with reusables and partnerships. The Town of Superior and the City/County of Broomfield funded the distribution of 43 Zero Waste Event reusable kits. Each kit contains a class set of reusable/washable plates, cups, cutlery, and napkins. With a grant from Boulder County, they will assemble additional kits and prioritize their distribution to Title I schools in both Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley School Districts in the fall. 

Students, parents, and faculty scrape their food scraps into the compost bin, then the reusable plates and utensils are washed in the kitchen or by parent volunteers, and are ready to use again. Reuse reduces waste, saves money and natural resources, results in cleaner compost without disposables, and is a local climate solution.

Keeping organic matter like food scraps out of the landfill is critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When landfilled, organic discards don’t just rot, they decompose anaerobically, meaning “without oxygen,” and in the process, they create methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. But if food scraps, yard trimmings and other organic matter are diverted to compost manufacturing and applied to landscapes, they have the opposite effect—they can draw down atmospheric carbon and store it beneficially in the soil. It will also build soil that grows more nutritious food crops and retains water, all without polluting synthetic chemicals. 

As students learn in school about the importance of composting and what materials belong in the compost bin, they take that knowledge home to their families, leading to increased participation in community compost programs.

“Schools are a key part of recycling and compost education, so the Town was thrilled to be able to start Green Star Schools last year,” said Alexis Bullen, Town of Superior Sustainability Manager. “We continue to look for strategies to reduce waste in the first place, which is why it was so exciting to be the first community to launch reusable Zero Waste Event kits for classroom parties and events. Eco-Cycle is a great partner to the Town of Superior and we hope to continue to increase compost collection in our community and make our waste stream more circular.”

Moving forward, Eco-Cycle is working to establish funding support and develop partnerships with more municipalities and school districts to expand access to the program. Support from the City/County of Broomfield means Broomfield schools are the next to be enrolled in Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools Program.

• To learn more about the Eco-Cycle Green Star Schools program, visit ecocycle.org/schools!

The post Growing Green: Composting & Reuse in Green Star Schools appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

In recognition of International Compost Awareness Week, we are celebrating the often overlooked stuff beneath our feet—soil!

Healthy soil nourishes our gardens, filters our water, supports ecosystems, and sequesters carbon. Unfortunately, human activity, such as conventional agricultural methods, overuse of pesticides and herbicides, and construction, have damaged much of the soil we rely on. 

Applying organic matter, such as compost and compost tea, including Eco-Cycle’s Microbe Brew, is an easy way to help restore soils and fight climate change. Everywhere we see soil, including our own backyard, is an opportunity to create a healthier, more resilient world. 

Colorado’s Soils: A Challenging Growing Environment 

You likely know Colorado’s state bird is the lark bunting, and our state flower is the blue columbine—but did you know Colorado has an official state soil? Sietz soil, named after the Sietz stream in the Rio Grande, is found mainly in southwest Colorado in higher, cooler elevations on hills, high valleys, and slopes. The deep, well-draining soil provides the base for Colorado’s world-famous recreational activities, cattle grazing, and forestry. 

Along Colorado’s Front Range, we generally have clay soils, which are dense and poorly draining and can make it challenging for plant roots to grow. Conversely, you may have sandy soil, which does not retain water well. Understanding soil structure is important because it impacts the soil’s ability to store nutrients, carbon, and water. 

Sand, Silt, and Clay Soil Structure

Soil is made up of three main types of particles: sand, silt, and clay. Sand is the biggest, while clay is the smallest. Usually, soil has a mix of these three. The amounts of sand, silt, and clay create the soil’s texture and characteristics. For example, sandy soils have the least capacity to store organic matter and water, while silt particles are medium-sized and balance nutrient- and water-holding capacity with porosity. Clay soil holds nutrients and water very effectively; thus, it offers the highest capacity to store organic matter and sequester carbon. 

To determine what your soil is made of, you can perform an easy test at home with just a jar and water. 

The Soil Type Jar Test

1. Collect about one-third to half a jar of soil from your backyard. Remove any rocks or large objects present. Tip: If you suspect the soil conditions are not uniform (for example, soil has been introduced, or the ground has been disturbed due to construction, etc.), you may want to collect from a few different places in your yard. 
2. Fill the remainder of the jar with water, leaving a little space at the top. 
3. Cap the jar and shake vigorously. 
4. Let the jar sit for one minute. 
5. After a minute, check the bottom layer of the jar. You will see the coarse sand layer at the bottom. Mark the top of the layer. 
6. Let the jar sit for 2 hours. 
7. Mark the top of the next layer—this is the silt layer. 
8. Let the jar sit for 48 hours. 
9. The last layer to emerge is the clay layer. Mark the top. 
10. Now, use a ruler to measure the height of each layer and the total height of all layers. 
11. Calculate the percent present of sand, silt, and clay.  For example, if the height of all layers is 6 inches, and the bottom “coarse sand” layer is 2 inches, the middle “silt” layer is 2 inches, and the top “clay “ layer is 2 inches, then the percentage of each layer is 33%.

Use this soil texture pyramid to determine your soil type. Simply enter your percentage for sand, silt, and clay in the form, then scroll down to find your “USDA Texture” type! Or use the graphic below for quick reference.

You can also have your soil tested in a laboratory. Two laboratories we recommend are Colorado State University and, if you want a more thorough analysis, Ward Labs’ Soil Health Analysis. 

A Tip on Plant Selection: Native Plants Are Naturally Compatible  

A loamy soil (40% sand, 40% silt, 20% clay) creates the ideal growing conditions for many plants, particularly vegetables. But fear not if you find yourself in the likely scenario of high-clay soils. You can still create a lush garden by planting native species adapted to Colorado’s soils and low-precipitation climate. Native plants require less water and fertilizer, are pest-resistant, and help foster biodiversity by supporting insect and bird populations. The Colorado Native Plant Society has an excellent list of native species to plant in your yard. 

Bring Your Soils to Life with Compost and Compost Tea

No matter the texture, the soil in your backyard may be depleted of its microbial activity from pesticide and fungicide use or due to depletion through harvesting, lawn clipping removal, or neglect. 

Restoring soil health is vital for addressing climate change. Soil rich in nutrients and microbes promotes the uptake of carbon dioxide by plants and converts it into vegetation––in other words, it sequesters carbon from the atmosphere and reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Soil’s ability to store carbon is three times more than that of plants or our atmosphere.

To restore the health of your soil, just add organic matter! In nature, as vegetation falls to the ground, it slowly decays, providing minerals and nutrients needed by plants. We can mimic this natural cycle by applying compost or compost tea to our trees, gardens, and lawns.

Spread Compost. You can add organic matter to your soils by spreading compost directly to your backyard landscapes. Commercial, homemade, or farm-sourced compost will do. For grass cover, place the compost on the surface of the grass at a depth of ½” so as not to smother the grass and gently rake it in with a leaf rake. Try to spread it over the grass as evenly as possible. You can also add compost to plant beds, shrubs, and vegetable gardens. 

Apply Eco-Cycle’s Microbe Brew Compost Tea. Compost tea is a liquid concentrate of living microorganisms that boost soil health. These microbes digest organic matter and minerals and turn them into plant-available forms that can be readily absorbed by roots, stimulating growth.

Microbe Brew can be purchased at the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) window. We recommend applying the brew to lawns, gardens, flower beds, trees, and shrubs the same day you purchase it because the tea will become less oxygenated over time, reducing active microbes.

This May, raise a glass, or better yet the whole jug, of Microbe Brew to build healthy soils in your own backyard!

The post Bring Your Soil Back to Life for a Healthier, More Resilient World   appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

What better way to celebrate spring than by using compost to nourish the soils your garden, lawn, and trees depend on? Starting April 6, Microbe Brew Compost Tea will be available for purchase at the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) window, to help you infuse your soils with beneficial microorganisms that promote healthy growth all season long. This season Microbe Brew has been reformulated and is teeming with more diverse microbial life than ever!

Compost tea is a liquid concentrate of living microorganisms that boost soil health. In nature, as vegetation falls to the ground, it slowly decays, providing minerals and nutrients needed by plants. We can mimic this natural cycle by applying compost or compost tea to our trees, gardens, and lawns!

Build Healthy Soils with Microbe Brew Compost Tea!

With depleted soils, dry heat, little rainwater, pests and weeds, Colorado’s spring and summer climate doesn’t exactly create ideal growing conditions. Additionally, it’s likely that your backyard contains clay soil, which is dense and can be a challenge for plants’ roots to grow. Or perhaps your soil is very sandy and does not retain water. Eco-Cycle’s Microbe Brew Compost Tea tackles these problems by infusing your soil with beneficial microorganisms, helping create soil that retains more moisture, yields more plentiful vegetation, and grows more pest-resistant plants!

We produce Microbe Brew onsite by feeding the cleanest food scraps and yard trimmings to our resident red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida). As organic material passes through the gut of the worm, it is converted to worm castings (also known as vermicompost)—an especially rich form of compost. The castings are then brewed in highly oxygenated water under optimal conditions for the beneficial microorganisms present in the castings to reproduce rapidly.

How do I use Microbe Brew Compost Tea?

Microbe Brew is easy to use and requires no prep work. Using a lawn sprayer or a standard watering can, sprinkle Microbe Brew Compost Tea directly to soils in your garden, lawn, or around trees and shrubs—anywhere you want to boost plant growth, including on household plants—then thoroughly moisten the soil with water. Your plants’ roots will work symbiotically with the Microbe Brew microorganisms in the soil to get the different nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong!

• Watch the video demonstrating how to apply Microbe Brew Compost Tea

Unlike conventional plant foods you’ll find at the store, which act as an “IV” to transfer artificial nutrients to your plants, Microbe Brew infuses your soil with millions of living microbes, creating an ideal habitat for plant growth all season long.

Where can I get Microbe Brew Compost Tea?

Pick up your Microbe Brew Compost Tea at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM window, located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd. One gallon of Microbe Brew covers 200–400 square feet; five gallons cover an average city lot. Microbe Brew is sold in 1-gallon, 2.5-gallon, or 5-gallon containers. To promote reuse, we assess a small bottle deposit fee that is refunded when the empty jugs are returned for us to refill and resell. Please rinse out the jugs (water only, no soap) and return them at the CHaRM window during your next visit!

• Learn more at ecocycle.org/microbe-brew!

The post Nourish Your Soil This Spring with Microbe Brew Compost Tea! appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

We’ve all been there: We stand in front of a recycling bin with something that we’re not sure is recyclable. With all the best intentions, we toss it in the recycling bin, hoping that with a little bit of luck, this item is recyclable. There’s a name for this: “wish-cycling,” or tossing items into the recycling bin in the hopes that they are recyclable, even when we’re unsure. And although wish-cycling is something we’ve all done with good intention, it can lead to a host of negative impacts on the recycling process. Let’s explore some of the most commonly wish-cycled materials, and why these items don’t belong in your curbside recycling bin! 

Plastic Bags: A Tangled Mess

Plastic bags are not accepted in curbside recycling programs because they tend to wind around machinery, causing costly shutdowns and repairs. Eco-Cycle operates the Boulder County Recycling Center, and shutting down machinery to remove plastic bags tangled up in gears happens every day, often multiple times a day, slowing down operations or even causing damage to machinery. For these reasons, keep all types of plastic bags—grocery store checkout bags, bread bags, trash bags, etc.—out of your curbside recycling bin, and please DO NOT bag your recyclables.

Try these ideas:

• To reduce plastic waste in the first place, remember to bring your own reusable bags when shopping! You can also try to find reuse options for some single-use bags, such as using them as trash bag liners or reusing them when grocery shopping. Some plastic bags can be recycled at specialized drop-off facilities, such as the Eco-Cycle Center-for-Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM).
• Please do not bag your recyclables. If you are using a bag for recycling, please empty your recyclables loose into the recycling bin and reuse the bag.  

Paper and Plastic Cups: Coated in Confusion

Whether made of paper or plastic, disposable cups often create confusion when it comes to recycling. Office paper and newspapers are recyclable, so surely that means paper cups are recyclable, too? Plastic bottles are recyclable . . .so that means plastic cups are also recyclable . . . right? Unfortunately, paper cups are coated with a thin layer of plastic or wax to prevent leaks, making them a material the paper markets don’t want to buy from recycling facilities. In most communities, these cups are not recyclable (but check your local guidelines to make sure).

Plastic cups with a #1 or #6 on the bottom—which include red Solo brand cups and clear cups used for cocktails—shatter in the recycling process, and the markets that purchase plastic do not want to buy these materials. For these reasons, these plastic cups are typically not recyclable. The only plastic cups that are more commonly recyclable are #2 and #5 plastic cups typically used as souvenir cups.

Try these ideas:

• The best bet? Reduce single-use plastic waste by bringing your reusable cup, bottle, or mug with you wherever you go! If you’re planning a large event, check out companies providing reusable cups, such as r.World.
  

Batteries: A Spark of Danger

Batteries, especially the common household types, might seem recyclable at first: Metal cans can go into your curbside recycling bins, so why not “metal” batteries? However, tossing batteries into the recycling bin can ignite huge recycling problems! Batteries are highly flammable and can cause fires in recycling facilities. Batteries should also not be thrown in the trash because they contain toxic chemicals that can leak into groundwater. Always handle batteries as household hazardous waste, and drop them off at specialized battery recycling programs or at your community’s hazardous waste collection facility. 

Try this idea:

• Lucky for us, there is an easy, and ultimately less expensive alternative to disposable batteries—rechargeable batteries!

Recycling Right Requires No Luck!

While wish-cycling stems from a desire to do good, remember that recycling isn’t based on luck! Knowing what is and is not recyclable depends on checking your local recycling guidelines. By understanding what can and cannot be recycled curbside, especially when it comes to tricky items like plastic bags, paper and plastic cups, and batteries, we can all contribute to a more efficient and effective recycling system. Let’s not leave the recycling up to chance!

• View Recycling Guidelines for Boulder County
• See what’s accepted at the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle-Materials
• Check out guidelines for Boulder County’s Hazardous Materials Management Facility

The post “Wish-cycling” appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Check out the latest guide & share with others so they’re in the know!

Inside the Eco-Cycle Guide

Chock-full of tips, tools, guidelines, and other resources, the annual Eco-Cycle Guide will help you build more sustainable actions in your life and in your community. Together, we can reap the benefits of Zero Waste—more jobs and less pollution while conserving resources and protecting the climate.

Inside the 2024 guide, you’ll find:

• New recycling and composting guidelines
• Information on why compost guidelines changed along the Front Range
• What to do with hard-to-recycle and hazardous waste materials
• Which packaging and mailers are recyclable, and which are trash
• Zero Waste businesses and resources for Boulder County residents . . . and more!

Your efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost are important to building sustainable circular systems. Follow the tips and guidelines found in the 2024 Eco-Cycle Guide, and rest assured that YOU are contributing to advancing Boulder County toward Zero Waste!

Eco-Cycle Eco-Leader Guide Distribution Planned for the Spring

The printed Eco-Cycle Guide will be shared with our volunteer Eco-Leaders for community distribution in the spring, so stay tuned! If you aren’t already one of our 1,000 volunteer Eco-Leaders and would like to be part of educating the community around all things Zero Waste, please join us by emailing volunteer@ecocycle.org or calling 303-444-6634. 

If you want to distribute copies of the printed Eco-Cycle Guide before we do the mass distribution in the spring, let us know! Printed copies will be available for pick-up at the beginning of March at the Eco-Cycle office, located at 6400 Arapahoe Road in Boulder. 

The post The 2024 Eco-Cycle Guide Is Here! appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Make the planet your Valentine and celebrate sustainably with these tips!

Valentine’s Day traditionally comes with a lot of consumerism. Store shelves exploding with mass-produced toys, trinkets, and decor—much of which will see but a brief period of use before ending up in landfills—can be disheartening and feel counterproductive to Zero Waste ethics.

But as with most things in life, with a little ingenuity this holiday can get a Zero Waste makeover that lets its favorable parts shine—such as the celebration of love for others and oneself—while avoiding the more problematic aspects of the day.

Recycled Paper Cards

Sustainable Flowers

Everyone loves fresh flowers, but unfortunately, they represent a multibillion-dollar global industry that tends to carry an extremely high environmental cost in the form of transportation, since most flowers sold in the US are grown abroad in places such as the Netherlands and Colombia. Cut flowers must be flown in and shipped under constant cold-chain conditions to keep them fresh, all of which consumes gobs of energy and fossil fuels.

A staggering 77% of flowers sold in the US are imported instead of being grown domestically, and more flowers are sold in the US during Valentine’s season than any other time of year. There’s also the matter that most conventionally produced flowers are grown with the use of pesticides, including neonicotinoids, a class of chemicals that are toxic to humans as well as bee populations.

If buying flowers is a priority this year, try to find locally grown, pesticide-free flowers to support the growers and florists in your community. Look for these labels when purchasing: “local,” “pesticide-free,” “organic,” “fair-trade,” “no-neonicotinoid,” and “seasonal.” Some options we know of in the Front Range region of Colorado include:

• Petals Flower Farm in Boulder offers local, chemical-free fresh and dried arrangements in neighborhood-hosted suburban greenhouses.

• Blossom and Branch Farm in Denver (for the smallest carbon footprint, they recommend buying “forced bulbs,” which don’t require additional light and only need minimal heat to produce).

• Find a comprehensive list of local flower farmers in Colorado, and the florists that work with them, compiled by Artemis Flower Farm, near Longmont! 

If access to any of these options isn’t available in your community, but you live near a Whole Foods, consider one of their more sustainable flower options through the Sourced for Good program.

Of course, the most sustainable flowers, in the end, are going to be the not-fresh ones. Some alternatives to fresh flowers include dried flower arrangements (which are often available locally, including at some of the sources listed above), and artificial flowers (which can usually be found in your local creative reuse center or thrift store, and last forever).

Zero Waste & Ethical Chocolate

The other gift typically associated with Valentine’s Day is a heart-shaped box of chocolates. This tradition goes back to the 1860s, when brothers Richard and George Cadbury (of Cadbury Cream Egg fame) took over the family business and invented an ornate style of packaging as a marketing ploy to sell chocolate. Aesthetics-loving Victorian consumers were known to keep these chocolate boxes after they were empty for storing correspondence and other keepsakes—an early example of upcycling!

These days, heart-shaped chocolate boxes are usually pretty flimsily made, being designed for cheap production and single-use disposal, so the incentive to keep them after they’re empty is low. Chocolate is also a highly contentious trade commodity with enormous social and environmental impacts, including destroying rainforests. When buying chocolates, look for labels such as the Rainforest Alliance label (which certifies environmental and social stewardship), “organic,” or “local.”

Check out this list of Boulder chocolate shops by Dame Cacao, which includes and goes beyond locally headquartered Chocolove, a large-scale producer offering products that meet the above certification standards. And don’t forget about the package-free chocolates that may be available at your local bulk store, such as Nude Foods Market, a Zero Waste grocery store with locations in Boulder and Denver.

The good news is, the foil wrappers from prepackaged chocolates can be recycled if added to larger foil balls. Keep adding aluminum foil until you create a ball that is at least 2 inches in diameter, then toss it in your curbside recycling bin!

The post Show the Earth Some Love This Valentine’s Day appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Composting—whether through curbside service, a drop-off center, or in your own backyard—turns a climate problem into a climate solution!

In the landfill, organic materials create a climate problem

Organic materials like food scraps, yard clippings, and some low-grade paper products (like paper towels and napkins) are good at breaking down into compost, but they need water and oxygen to do it. However, landfills are designed to be airtight—so instead of decomposing like they would in an oxygen-rich environment, organics in the landfill decompose anaerobically, or without oxygen, and emit methane in the process. Methane is a greenhouse gas that has a heat-trapping capacity 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in the first 20 years or so! 

Once made into compost, organic materials become a hopeful climate solution

Putting organics into your compost bin prevents landfill methane emissions, reducing climate change impacts. And applying finished compost to soils—gardens, lawns, farms, etc.—helps sequester carbon dioxide that’s already in the atmosphere—helping to reverse climate change!

Keep your compost clean

Just like recycling, curbside compost is taken to a local facility that has its own unique combination of equipment and technology. In some communities, the local compost facility accepts food scraps, yard trimmings, coffee filters, paper towels and napkins, and certified compostable cups, plates, and containers. In other communities, the local compost facility may only accept food scraps. That’s why it’s important to check your local compost guidelines! View curbside compost guidelines for Colorado Front Range communities below.

Make sure to check out the new curbside composting guidelines for Front Range communities in Colorado, effective April 2023!

For example, the compost manufacturer for Colorado Front Range communities simplified their compost guidelines in April 2023 in order to drastically reduce contamination. Residents and businesses in this region can now put only food scraps and yard trimmings (and 3-gallon or smaller certified compostable bags) in their curbside compost bins. 

Common Compost Contaminants

What you put into your compost bin is used to create a finished compost amendment that’s applied to gardens and farmland—or even to your lawn! When compost streams are contaminated with non-organic materials—such as glass, metal, or even small plastic produce stickers—tiny pieces of those materials end up in the finished compost product. No one wants to grow their food amongst plastic pieces, or spread tiny glass shards across their lawn! It is FAR more difficult to remove contaminants from compost than it is from recycling (imagine what equipment could remove plastic produce stickers), so it’s up to all of us to make sure we are keeping non-organic materials out of our compost carts. 

How to Compost in Your Backyard

Composting in your backyard is easy! You prevent methane emissions at landfills AND create a free, high-quality compost amendment that your lawn, garden, and flower beds are hungry for. If you have space for a compost pile or bin, you could be composting from your own backyard! 

Backyard composting has many benefits, including that it allows you to compost items not currently accepted in curbside bins in our area, such as paper towels, napkins, coffee filters, and other uncoated papers!

If you live in a community where your local curbside compost guidelines allow only food scraps and/or yard trimmings (such as Colorado Front Range communities) you’re prevented from adding to your curbside bin items such as paper towels, napkins, coffee filters, and other uncoated papers. However, you CAN add these items to your backyard compost bin! 

Avoid putting bones, meat, dairy, and compostable plates, cups, etc. in your backyard compost pile—these items can attract wildlife or take too long to break down, and are more suitable for industrial/curbside composting.

Learn more about the do’s and don’ts of backyard composting, including a step-by-step guide to get started!

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This Plastic Free July, explore the best tips and tricks from Eco-Cycle that can help YOU quit plastic! Here are 12 ideas to try and curb plastic use in your everyday life:

Refuse:

• Avoid Single-Use: When ordering takeout or delivery, look for any options on the order platform to opt out of utensils and other disposables, like napkins and straws. Or,  put your request for NO straws, utensils, napkins, etc. in your delivery notes.
• Skip the Swag: When visiting festivals, markets, and conferences, avoid taking home any plastic-laden freebies (like stickers and buttons) that tend to quickly become trash. Producers are responsible for a large proportion of the plastics crisis, and if the demand on this type of marketing goes down enough, companies may rethink that expense the following year.
• No Receipt, Please: Many people don’t know that some paper items, including receipts, have petrochemicals in them, and aren’t recyclable. Choose digital receipts instead—or no receipt at all!

Reduce:

• Consume with Care: If you do choose to buy products packaged in plastic, be selective about what you are purchasing. Try to limit your purchases to products that really don’t have other packaging options available. For example, certain medications only come in blister-packaging, where the dose is separated out by a push-through mechanism that plays an important role in the health sector.
• Not All Plastics Are Created Equal: Some plastics are more recyclable than others. Avoid buying anything packaged in #3, 6, or 7 or black plastic. Check out our Quick Guide to Plastics to learn more about the different types of plastic and where you will most often find them.
• Leverage the Economies of Scale: Larger containers require less plastic relative to their contents than their pint-size cousins, and often save you money, too. For instance, when it comes to housekeeping, you can avoid sending plastic spray nozzles to the landfill by buying gallon-size jugs of ingredients such as castile soap to make your own cleaning products. Follow our easy, nontoxic recipes and reuse the same spray bottle over and over to keep your space sparkling clean, green and toxin free! 

Reuse:

• Waste Not, Want Not: Some plastic containers can be reused for shopping in bulk aisles or at bulk stores! They’re less likely to break than glass, and are lighter to transport if you’re traveling by foot or bike. Plastic containers also make great to-go ware, preventing the need to buy fancy new containers for this purpose.
• Declutter Your Space: Organize your stuff by sorting small goods into upcycled plastic containers—ideally clear ones so you can easily see what’s inside! 
• Give It Another Grow: After spring planting, the black and green plastic plant pots pile up! Rather than recycling them, take them back to the farmer or nursery where you bought your plants, in most cases they are very happy to receive them for reuse next growing season.

Recycle:

• Pass the Glass: Skip plastic packaging by choosing a comparable product packaged in glass, which is infinitely recyclable! Want to go a step further? Reach out to your favorite brands that only use plastic packaging, and let them know they would keep your business if they changed their packaging to be more sustainable.
• Can You Do a Can-Can? Steel and aluminum are also good packaging alternatives to plastic and can be recycled indefinitely! Not only is metal made for recycling in a way that plastic simply isn’t, the markets for aluminum and steel tend to be stronger because recycling metal saves so much energy and natural resources compared to making the same products from virgin materials.
• We Speak for the Trees: Paper is another recycling success story, and can be an effective alternative to plastic packaging. Just be sure to keep an eye out for sneaky paper that is covered in plastic, such as frozen food boxes and paper coffee cups.

Hungry for more tips? Check out our How to Quit Plastics Workbook to learn more.

The post 12 Tips to Help You Quit Plastics This July appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

The future of reducing plastic may very well be going back to the past—a time when reuse and refill systems for things like groceries and beverages was the norm and disposable plastics weren’t an accepted, unnecessary evil. Reuse is making a major comeback to demonstrate that we don’t HAVE to have disposables. So before you order your take-out food or go shopping for groceries, consider the businesses that are leading this new path forward by putting reusable containers at your fingertips and making it easy to opt out of single-use plastics. Zero Waste grocery stores and reusable food delivery systems help to prevent the need to produce more plastic in the first place, which has widespread benefits in combating the climate crisis—from reducing the demand for fossil fuels used to produce plastics, to avoiding widespread plastic pollution. 

Trashing Our Throw-Away Culture

Reducing single-use plastics requires changing mainstream conceptions about food packaging and delivery. Instead of throwing away single-use products, it’s time we discard a culture that perpetuates the single-use problem in the first place. Fortunately, there are increasingly more reuse options available to businesses and consumers. Several Zero Waste models have been developed in Boulder County and beyond to integrate circular models into the community and to make it easy for customers to choose to reuse. 

Nude Foods

• Nude Foods in Boulder is a Zero Waste grocery store that demonstrates the potential for successful reuse systems. Over 1,000 types of food products and other goods are packaged in glass jars, bread is sold in reusable canvas sacks, and customers can bring in their own containers for bulk purchases, from nuts and granola to soaps and laundry detergent. Empty jars and sacks can be returned to the store where they will be cleaned, sanitized, and reused for future use; the customer is not required to do the cleaning of the store-owned containers. Nude Foods offers delivery services to Boulder, Louisville, Niwot, Superior, and Denver using an electric vehicle for a $7 fee Tuesday–Friday. 
• While you’re at Nude Foods, check out their Zero Waste Party Pack, a reusable alternative to compostable plates for events and parties. Rent the pack (which includes plates, bowls, utensils, cups, and serving bowls) and when the party’s over, there’s no need to do any washing! Just return the kit and Nude Foods will sanitize and repack it for the next event. 

Simply Bulk

• Simply Bulk is a Zero Waste grocery store in Longmont that encourages customers to “pay for the product, not the packaging” by bringing in their own clean containers to fill up with products. Simply Bulk offers food, pet supplies, personal care supplies, and more, including a bulk-size block of soap where customers can cut off and purchase only the amount they need. 

DeliverZero

• DeliverZero is a delivery service changing the face of food delivery systems. While ordering to-go usually means you’ll end up with a pile of plastic-coated paper and non-recyclable plastics in the trash, DeliverZero allows you to request that your order be packaged in reusable, returnable containers—at NO cost to the restaurant and for just a $0.99 fee to the customer. Customers can search for participating restaurants and order their food through DeliverZero or through third-party food delivery platforms. Afterward, individuals have three weeks to return their reusable packaging at any designated return point. You can even schedule a pick-up at your door. The containers are BPA-free and meant to be reused up to 1,000 times while withstanding heat from a commercial dishwasher. 
• For every 1 million DeliverZero containers used, DeliverZero claims, over 25 tons of packaging waste would be diverted from landfills when compared to single-use plastics and compostables, over 440,000 gallons of water would be saved when compared to compostables, and over 110 tons of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) would be avoided when compared to single-use plastics and compostables. 

r.Cup

• R.Cup is a national reuse company devoted to supplying reusable cups to large-scale venues and events in 70 cities, 30 US states, 12 countries, and 90 venues. Live events in the US go through 4 billion single-use cups each year! As an alternative to disposable plastics, the company utilizes durable polypropylene that is washed and sanitized in a commercial dishwasher. Any damaged or retired cups are upcycled into other items. Organizations can partner with r.Cup to provide full service to events, from delivery to collection of the reusable cups. 

Do you know of a great reusable model not featured here? Let us know so we can spread the word and the reuse revolution! 

The post The Future of Reuse: Zero Waste Grocery Stores & Food Delivery Systems appeared first on Eco-Cycle.