Under the Waste Hauler Ordinance (2019-3), haulers must provide curbside single-stream recycling in many regions and, in denser areas, curbside organics (food and yard waste) collection. Boulder County's Zero Waste goal (Resolution 2005-138) drives these mandates.
Boulder County advances recycling and composting through hauler mandates rather than resident fines. Ordinance 2019-3 requires curbside single-stream recycling collection and curbside organics collection in specified regions, with food-waste and yard-waste service phased in by area. In single-family Region 1, haulers must provide unlimited recycling, and beginning January 1 haulers were required to provide 32 gallons of organics collection service weekly or every other week, letting residents put food scraps and yard trimmings in a separate bin. These requirements support Resolution 2005-138's goal of 'Zero Waste – or darn near' throughout Boulder County, including unincorporated areas.
The mandates fall on licensed haulers: failing to provide required recycling or organics service for a region violates Ordinance 2019-3 and can affect the hauler's annual county license. Residents are not fined for the service level itself.
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See how Boulder County's recycling requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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