Summary of DRAFT Changes to Code Language for Community Recycling Ordinance
12/4/15
(Code language is pending further legal review and is subject to change)
Article 15: Solid Waste Collection and Recycling Services
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Adds hierarchy of materials management definition for use in designating materials as recyclable locally
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Licensing (15-412(a) and (b))
o Includes haulers of organics (unless hauls <1 ton of material per month)
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Residential Trash / Recycling Service (a.k.a. Pay-As-You-Throw) (15-412(c), (d), (e); 15-413(a)), (15-413(c)(1))
o Clarifies that a 32-gallon trash cart option is required
o Reduces price difference between sizes of trash cans to a minimum of 50%-80%
o Haulers must include City-provided guidelines and recycling information to customers once / year
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Commercial and Multi-Family Pay-As-You-Throw (15-413(b))
o Requires bundling of recycling with trash service
 Recycling must be at a minimum 33% of overall solid waste service volume (trash and
recyclables)
o If customer refuses recycling service, must sign documentation, and bundled rate is not reduced
o Customers can apply for a variance and be exempted from bundled recycling for following reasons
 Space constraints
 Self-haul their recyclables
 Contracts separately for recycling services (not provided by solid waste provider)
 Don’t generate recyclables
 Customer would complete form, submit to City. Whether or not approved, form would be
shared with service provider once decision is made.
• If variance is not approved, hauler must charge bundled rate for solid waste and
recycling services without reduction
• If variance is approved, rate may be “unbundled” and reduced to exclude charges for
recycling
 Variance would be valid for 12 months, at which point customer could apply again if situation
remains
o Haulers provide customers with recycling guidelines signage for use in facilities
 Can use own materials if City-approved or can use City-provided materials
o Recycling bins must be labeled with the chasing arrows symbol and a graphics-based guidelines sticker
(or laminated poster or other method). Can use City-provided materials or hauler-provided materials
that are approved by City (15-413(c)(2))
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License application (15-415)
o Haulers must include information about organics collection program and how it fits with regulations
(similar to current requirements for recycling service)
o Haulers must include copies of HOA contracts in licensing materials (similar to documentation for other
aspects of ordinance)
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Plans, recordkeeping, and reports (15-418)
o Must keep on file the variance applications from customers
Article 18: Eligible Organic Materials Collection
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Adds definition of food scraps usage hierarchy for use in designating materials as compostable locally and
clarifying the food donation is preferred over composting food
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Defines “Retail Food Establishment” as including (based on definitions from Larimer County Department of
Health and Environment Retail Food Establishment Licensing records)
o Meat Markets
o Full service restaurants
o Retail Specialty Shops
o Fast food restaurants
o Food Processors
o Specialty restaurants
o Warehouses and others
o Delicatessens
o Rehabilitation Centers
o Large Retail Markets
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Residential Organics Collection (15-802)
o No later than 6/30/16, all residential haulers must offer optional yard trimmings service to customers
from April 1 to November 30 each year
o No later than 4/1/2018, the optional seasonal yard trimmings service is replaced with the following:
 At least 96 gallons of organics collection / week (including yard trimmings and food scraps)
bundled in with basic residential service for no separate charge
 Haulers must provide options of at least 64- and 96-gallon cart sizes for residents to use
 Haulers can charge extra for yard trimmings beyond 96 gallons / week
 Applies same rules for provision of carts to customers as pertain to residential service: can
charge one-time damage / loss deposit , but hauler cannot charge for cart on ongoing basis
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Retail Food Establishment Food Scraps Collection (15-803)
o No later than 6/30/17, retail food establishments shall subscribe to food scraps collection
 Locations can apply for a variance, good for 12 months at a time, for following reasons:
• Space constraints
• Self-hauling food scraps to permitted facility
• Use of garbage disposal or similar technology for food scraps disposal
• On-site composting
• Doesn’t generate food scraps
 Food scraps must be collected weekly at a minimum
 Food scraps must be hauled to a permitted facility (cannot go to landfill)
 Collection of food scraps from publicly-accessible bins is optional (not required)
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Rights and Duties of Licensed Collectors of Eligible Organic Materials (15-804)
o Cannot mix organics with recyclables or items destined for landfill
o Bins provided for collecting food scraps must be clearly labeled as such (for residential or commercial)
o Organics collection vehicles must be identified as such (15-420) and (15-804)
o Haulers must notify residential customers annually of container options and the existence of the
organics collection service (same as with recycling service)
o Service applies to group accounts same as open subscription accounts (i.e. residential Home
Owners’Associations (HOAs) are included in ordinance equally as residents not in an HOA)
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Plans, recordkeeping and reports (15-805): same as for recycling service currently