Recycling was supposed to be the third and final of the three R’s, but instead, it’s been relegated to an afterthought. Case in point: Colorado has a recycling rate of just 16% and ranks a woeful 35th in the nation for recycling. But recycling matters. If the state wants to maintain our climate leadership, we can and must do better.
As leaders of America’s largest manufacturer of aluminum packaging and largest craft brewer, both of which proudly call Colorado home, we’re particularly troubled by our low recycling rates and the impact it could have on our state’s future.
Ball’s aluminum cans, bottles and cups are infinitely recyclable, with minimal yield loss. Same with the glass bottles New Belgium sources here in Colorado. Making packaging from recycled sources reduces carbon emissions significantly; in fact, recycled aluminum uses up to 95% less energy than primary aluminum.
So how do we close the loop and reap the rewards of recycling? Many Coloradans don’t have easy access to recycling, and our current recycling system was never designed to process all the single-use materials that we’re throwing away. In addition, governments — which are responsible for funding recycling collection programs — are challenged with limited budgets to fund multiple competing priorities.
Thankfully, there is a solution. A bipartisan bill recently introduced in the state legislature by Representative Lisa Cutter (D) and State Senators Kevin Priola (R) and Julie Gonzales (D) would establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, shifting the cost of recycling packaging materials away from taxpayers and local governments to the companies that put packaging into the marketplace. This proposal begins a dialogue in Colorado that could lead to improved waste management. It would ensure a better-funded system with greater access to a domestic supply of materials like aluminum, bolstering economic resilience by decreasing reliance on international sources, and ultimately creating incentives to boost recycling rates and reduce packaging pollution.
The bill also establishes a statewide recycling program, expanding access to recycling at home, work, schools, government buildings and public places. Finally, it calls for more recycling education to help citizens play a bigger role. Passing this bill would help drive up our state’s recycling rate and help create a truly circular economy.
Colorado’s economy also stands to gain from more recycling. A new analysis by Resource Recycling Systems shows increasing Colorado’s recycling rate of aluminum cans from 14% to 90% would generate an additional $31.9 million for the state through material sales; add 2,000 jobs in collection, sorting and reprocessing; and raise wages in those industries significantly. A 90% recycling rate for cans would also keep 25,400 tons of material out of landfills and save enough energy to power 28,000 homes, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 231,600 metric tons — the equivalent of taking 50,000 cars off the road — each year. What’s more, the resulting energy savings would provide a critical step forward in achieving Colorado’s ambitious Climate Action Plan.
EPR isn’t a new idea. It works in many states across a variety of products. Since 2015, Colorado has been one of eight states, along with the District of Columbia, with successful EPR laws for paint. Last year, Maine and Oregon became the first states to pass EPR laws for paper and packaging waste. Similar policies have been fueling higher recycling rates in Europe and Canada for years. Coloradans also overwhelmingly support the idea. In a 2021 survey, 75% of respondents agreed that “companies that manufacture food and beverage containers should be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling their products after people discard them.” As Colorado businesses who take the time to measure and understand the economic and environmental impacts of excessive waste, energy use and international sourcing, we agree — and we’re committed to doing our part. That is why our companies are working to use more recycled material in our businesses — an important step toward achieving our science-based carbon reduction targets. Ball Corporation is committed to increasing recycled content across our full product portfolio globally, with the hope of achieving 85% recycled content by 2030. For New Belgium, increasing recycled content in our containers is an important part of our efforts to reduce emissions, along with transitioning to renewable energy and supporting regenerative agriculture practices in our supply chain. But we need to boost our state’s recycling rate to achieve these goals.
The Extended Producer Responsibility Act represents an important first step toward a better future for recycling in Colorado, and we strongly encourage the legislature to pass this bill. Passage is the right thing for our environment, for our economy and for the citizens of our great state.
John Hayes is chairman and CEO of Ball Corporation based in Broomfield. Steve Fechheimer is CEO of New Belgium Brewing based in Fort Collins.
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