Producer Responsibility program

On June 3rd, 2022, the Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling Act, House Bill 22-1355 was signed into law. 

HB 22-1355 sets up a Producer Responsibility program that requires companies that sell products in packaging, paper products, and food serviceware to fund a statewide recycling system to recycle those materials. These companies will form an independent non-profit organization, called a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), to coordinate, fund, and manage this statewide recycling system.

  • Companies will pay membership dues to the program based on the amount and type of packaging they sell in Colorado. 
  • The program will create one consistent statewide list of what can be recycled, and then the program will pay private companies and local governments to operate recycling collection and processing programs. 
  • The program will cover 100% of the costs of recycling, including consumer education and government oversight of the program. 
  • Colorado’s Department of Public Health and the Environment will oversee the program. 
  • An advisory board will be established, composed of local governments, recycling companies, nonprofits and other key stakeholders, to help the state oversee the program and to ensure the program system meets the needs of local Colorado communities and businesses.

This program will

  • Provide funding mechanisms for recycling services and infrastructure across the state.
  • Increase recycling access in Colorado, including apartments and rural areas. 
  • Save local governments money by reimbursing their costs to run their recycling programs.
  • Support Colorado businesses by creating a more resilient domestic supply of raw material to make new products.
  • Encourage producers to design and manage covered materials to prevent/minimize their negative environmental, social, economic and health impacts.

Producer Responsibility Organization

Producer Responsibility Organization Program Designation Memo

Producer Responsibility Organization application

Extended Producer Responsibility rulemaking

The first Extended Producer Responsibility rulemaking hearing with the Solid & Hazardous Waste Commission is on May 16, 2023. Registration will be available on the rulemaking web page closer to the meeting day/time.

We held the first Extended Producer Responsibility rulemaking stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Seventy-seven participants registered, and we received feedback from six stakeholders.

Extended Producer Responsibility rulemaking on the Solid Waste proposed rulemakings and stakeholder processes page

Advisory Board

Producer Responsibility Advisory Board 

Resources

For updates on this program, please sign up by sending an email to email darla.arians@state.co.us, subject line "producer responsibility contact list."

Contact

Darla Arians
Producer Responsibility Lead
(720) 263-1219
darla.arians@state.co.us