PO Box 20646 Boulder, CO 80308 Ph: 720-222-9602 Email: info@bouldertomorrow.com Web: www.BoulderTomorrow.com Twitter: @bouldertomorrow

The Best Business Ideas Shaping Boulder's Future

June 2, 2015

To: Boulder City Council

Re: Proposed Recycling and Composting Regulations

Dear Boulder City Councilors,

As a member of the working group that hashed though the details of a proposed recycling ordinance for

the business community, I want to support the general principle and offer a few suggestions to refine

the final language. I’ve been involved in recycling efforts since volunteering with EcoCycle on campus

back in the 1990s as a CU Environmental Conservation student. Over the years I’ve seen how numerous

Boulder businesses have demonstrated savvy recycling practices and I’ve been involved in the

implementation of zero waste efforts as part of many companies’ broader efficiency efforts.

The options and requirements that have come forward for implementing these goals are, on balance,

achievable by most companies. However, the waste stream from the business community covers a huge

spectrum in both material type and volume, which is further affected by factors such as seasonality,

changes in client orders, production schedules based on global market forces, involvement of the

general public and many more factors. As our group worked on these concerns I believe we came up

with a process and a reasonable set of criteria for granting exemptions. We will remain a part of how

that process develops.

Avoidingthe free rider issue is crucial, therefore the requirement that all property owners must

subscribe to trash, recycling and compost is necessary. This is particularly important not just from a

fairness and logistics perspective but because it is truly walking the talk – if we believe this is important

as a community, then we believe this is important as a community. Everyone participates.

I endorse Option C as the most practical option. It gives time for businesses to become informed, clarify

their requirements and most importantly plan their budgets during 2016 for new 2017 expenses. For

many this may include construction requiring permits and other significant capital expenses borne of

various health and building codes.

Lastly, there is something unsettling about mandating the recyclable materials “must” go to one local

processor, in this case the Boulder County Recycling Center. There are some obvious benefits of course,

however it also means recyclers are beholden to one vendor and there are recent examples in Colorado

how that mandate has caused serious problems for the economic viability of recycling hauling as a

business model.

PO Box 20646 Boulder, CO 80308 Ph: 720-222-9602 Email: info@bouldertomorrow.com Web: www.BoulderTomorrow.com Twitter: @bouldertomorrow

If landfill diversion and emission reductions are the goals, and property owners are mandated to do so,

where haulers choose to send materials should be up to them.

Thanks for considering these ideas,

Dan Powers

Executive Director