About 44 percent of eligible residents [in Denver] - those in single-family homes or small, multi-unit buildings - have signed up for the program. . . .
Last year, Denver recycled only 10 percent of its municipal waste stream. That's less than Colorado as a whole, which recycled only 12.5 percent of its waste . . . . Colorado's recycling efforts rank it the 12th worst in the nation. . . . In contrast, Oregon recycled nearly 46 percent of its waste and Minnesota, more than 43 percent. . . . other Colorado cities have successful recycling programs including Boulder, Fort Collins and Loveland, which diverts more than 50 percent of its municipal waste from landfills. . . . In Denver, city officials hope to introduce other programs that would capture organic materials and waste from large, multifamily buildings. By 2011, the city hopes to divert 30 percent of the waste stream away from landfills. . . .
U.S. recycling rate: 28.5%
Colorado recycling rate: 12.5%
U.S. per capita annual garbage generation: 1.3 tons
Colorado per capita annual garbage generation: 1.7 tons
U.S. garbage land-filled: 64%
Colorado garbage land-filled: 87%
From here.
Andrew, can you give me the source of these statistics? I'm preparing a recycling display for my school's library, so I'd like to search the source for more information. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe linked editorial cites a magazine/non-profit team's report on the subject. My source is the Denver Post editorial.
ReplyDelete