Boulder County’s Hauler Ordinance reduces waste and increases recycling and composting (offered in limited areas) for residential trash customers in unincorporated Boulder County.
Policy
In 2019, Boulder County implemented new policies that apply to all hauling companies that collect, transport or dispose of discarded materials (garbage, recyclables, or compostables, construction and demolition waste, or landscaping materials) in unincorporated Boulder County.
The policy calls for:
- Hauler License of all haulersPay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) disposal pricing tiers
- Single-stream recycling (all recyclables together in one bin) with unlimited curbside recycling collection
- Curbside organics/compost collections in certain neighborhoods
- Construction and demolition materials
- Landscaping materials
- Waste Hauler Annual Reporting
The Hauler Ordinance provides a level playing field for licensed trash haulers in Boulder County; all haulers are required to provide similar services, but they set their own rates based on costs of providing those services.
Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT)
All haulers operating in unincorporated Boulder County must provide volume-based disposal, or Pay-As-You-Throw.
Similar to the way you pay for electricity, gas and other utilities, this system charges based on how much you consume – in this case, the amount of trash you generate that must be hauled away to a landfill.
Your trash hauler offers plan options based on where you live. You choose the plan that works best for your household!
Single-stream Recycling
Single-Stream Recycling combines all approved recyclables in one bin:
- cardboard
- paper
- steel cans
- aluminum
- glass
- plastic bottles, jugs, tubs and jars
- Studies show that single-stream recycling results in a higher rate of recycling by a greater number of people. This system saves time and effort, and makes it easy to recycle.
Curbside Compost Collections
Many of the materials that end up in landfills can actually be turned into compost for our gardens. These are “organic” materials such as:
- food waste
- grass clippings
- leaves
- small tree limbs and branches
Ask your hauler if curbside compost collection is offered in your area; if it is not, consider Back Yard Composting for your food and yard waste.
Landscaping Materials
Organic material such as:
- grass clippings
- leaves
- branches
- other garden refuse
Construction and Demolition or C&D Materials
The waste materials produced in the process of construction, renovation, or demolition of structures (including buildings, bridges and roads).
In addition, it includes the materials generated as a result of natural disasters.
Components of C&D material include materials or debris such as:
- asphalt
- concrete
- dimensional lumber
- fiberboard
- plywood
- ferrous metals
- non-ferrous metals
- asphalt shingles
- cardboard
- carpet
- brick
- wallboard
- plastic