Overview

• City Council gave final approval to implement the 2022 voter mandate, with two members voting no, and compliance beginning in September 2026.
• A proposed blanket exemption for small restaurants was dropped, though businesses may seek individual exemptions based on undue financial burden.
• The law requires apartments, restaurants, commercial buildings and permitted events to provide recycling and composting services.
• Construction and demolition projects must separate and recycle materials such as concrete, asphalt and scrap metal under the new rules.
• Enforcement will focus on education, with fines considered only as a last resort, as the city and partners expand processing capacity including Compost Colorado’s new facility at the National Western Center.