Colorado residents will soon have access to free curbside recycling services

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Colorado residents will soon have the ability to recycle for free, thanks to a statewide program that aims to increase easy access to recycling for hundreds of thousands of people.

The statewide program requires that any company that packages products in single-use materials – such as food containers or plastic products – pay a fee. This fee will pay for everyone who has access to curbside trash pickup to have that same access to curbside recycling pickup at no cost.

The program will also provide access to recycling for those living in multi-family housing, such as apartment buildings and condos.

Representatives say that residents should be able to take advantage of these free recycling services beginning in January 2026.

The bill that created the Producer Responsibility Program originally passed two years ago – but lawmakers didn't give it the official green light to move forward until this spring.

A study regarding the program published in March found that it will grant curbside recycling services to around 500,000 households in municipalities, and 100,000-200,000 households in other census-designated places and rural areas.

By 2035, lawmakers expect the program will lead to the additional recycling of at least 350,000 tons per year.