Colorado’s EPR Program
The short version: companies that make stuff now have to help pay to recycle the packaging it comes in. And that’s genuinely good news for your curb.
EPR is funded by producers, not households. Your bill does not go up.
This is not a pilot program or a maybe. It is the law, and it is already in motion.
The accepted materials list expands when the program comes to your neighborhood.
The Companies That Make All the Packaging Are Paying for It Now.
EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility. And while that is a mouthful, the idea is pretty simple. Colorado passed a law that says the companies manufacturing and selling packaged goods have to help fund the recycling system that deals with all that packaging when you are done with it.
Before this law, the cost of sorting, hauling, and processing recyclables was mostly passed along to households and local governments. Your trash bill quietly included costs that had nothing to do with your habits and everything to do with how much plastic a cereal box uses.
EPR flips that around. Producers now pay into a statewide recycling fund managed by a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). That money goes toward improving recycling access, expanding what gets accepted curbside, and covering operational costs that used to land on your bill.
More recycling. Better recycling. And no new cost to you.
Earthwise is participating in this program across all the communities we serve, so when it comes to your neighborhood, we have got it handled.
Four Steps. One Big Win for Colorado.
The EPR program is already in motion. Here is where things stand right now and what happens when it reaches your neighborhood.
Colorado Passes the EPR Act
In 2022, the Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity Act became law. It established a legal framework requiring producers to fund recycling and set a clear timeline for community rollout. Not a pilot. Not a proposal. The law.
Producers Register and Pay In
Any company selling packaged goods in Colorado above a certain threshold registers with the state and contributes to the Producer Responsibility Organization. That fund is what pays for expanded recycling services, including yours.
Earthwise Brings It to Your Curb
We work directly with the PRO to expand recycling in every community we serve. Updated routes, expanded material lists, any new equipment, all covered by producer funding. You are automatically enrolled when your zone goes live.
You Just Recycle More, Stress Less
When your neighborhood comes online, you will get an updated list of what is accepted. Same pickup day, more items in the bin, no new charges. We will reach out before anything changes so you are never caught off guard.
What’s In and What’s Out
Here is the list as it stands today. When EPR reaches your zone, the accepted list grows, and we will send you the updated one.
Goes in the Recycling Bin
- Plastics #1, #2 and #5. Check the number inside the arrows on the bottom of the container.
- Metal cans: food and beverage cans made of steel, tin, bi-metal or aluminum.
- Cardboard, clean and dry with no grease.
- Newspaper and magazines, including inserts, catalogs and paperback books.
- Paper cartons and boxes, like juice boxes, milk cartons and pasta or cereal boxes.
- Office and household paper like envelopes, junk mail and greeting cards. Shredded paper goes in a paper bag.
Stays Out of the Recycling Bin
- Glass of any kind: bottles, jars, dishes, mirrors and ceramics.
- Plastic bags, wrappers, straws, to-go lids, foam and any plastic without a number.
- Food waste and greasy containers, including wax-coated cartons. Rinse first, and if it is still greasy, toss it.
- Electronics, batteries, cables, light bulbs and scrap metal.
- Freon appliances like refrigerators, AC units and freezers. Call us for pickup options.
- Diapers, chemicals and medical waste.
- Everything else: clothing, shoes, toys, tools, hoses, tissue, hardback books, holiday decorations, egg cartons, yard waste and construction debris.
When in doubt, throw it out.
Rinse containers, keep paper dry and grease free, and put shredded paper in a paper bag. Tossing something in “just in case” can contaminate a whole load and send all of it to the landfill.
We Figured You Might Have a Few.
Here are the ones we hear most. If yours is not on the list, just give us a call. We are real people and we pick up the phone.
Nope. If you have recycling service with Earthwise, you are automatically included when EPR rolls out in your area. No calls, no forms, nothing to do on your end.
No. EPR is funded by producers, not households. You will not see a new line item on your statement. The whole point of the law is that producers absorb this cost, not you.
We are rolling out zone by zone through 2026. When your area is coming online, we will reach out directly by mail, email, or a note on your bill. You will not have to track it down.
The full list gets finalized closer to each zone going live, but generally expect more plastic types and flexible packaging to be accepted curbside. We will publish an updated accepted materials list when your neighborhood comes online.
Not at all. Same day, same time, same containers. EPR only affects the recycling side of things. Everything about your trash service stays exactly as is.
Totally fine. Just give us a call and we will walk through it with you. We would love a chance to answer any questions first, but if you want out, we will handle it with no hassle.
Do We Come Your Way?
We cover a big chunk of Southern Colorado. Peek at the map for your service and see if your street makes the list.
Residential Service Area
Commercial Service Area
Roll-Off Service Area
Not Signed Up for Recycling Yet? Let’s Fix That.
If you have recycling service with Earthwise, you are automatically included when EPR comes to your zone. Questions first? We are real people.