Steamboat Recycling Bills Drop as EPR Program Shifts Costs to Producers

Steamboat Springs —The blue cart sits at the curb, waiting for the truck that used to come with a bill attached. Now, it just comes for the cardboard and the cans.

“Meaning (those customers) already have a recycling cart and the only change they are going to see is a reduction in their overall waste and recycling bill,” said Scott Lukach, Apex president and CEO, during a visit to Steamboat Springs on Wednesday.

Lukach was in town with Scott Jenkins, the Apex COO, to talk with city officials about the rollout of the Extended Producer Responsibility program. It’s a big shift for folks in Routt County who’ve been paying for their own green habits. Under the new state initiative, the cost of recycling is moving away from the taxpayer and onto the companies that create the packaging in the first place.

The EPR program was passed by the Colorado State Legislature in 2022 and signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis. It shifts the responsibility of a product’s end-of-life management from local governments to the producers who place those products on the market. Apex executives said they started conversations with the Circular Action Alliance — the nonprofit designated by state law to administer these programs — shortly after the policy was passed.

“It always takes a little longer than you expect,” Lukach noted, acknowledging the back-and-forth of negotiations. But the company moved efficiently in the last 60 days, securing an agreement that includes reimbursement for services dating back to Sept. 1.

For neighbors in the valley, the practical changes are simple. If you already have a recycling cart, keep rolling it out on your normal schedule. You’ll receive credits for the services provided since September. If you only have trash service, you can opt into the new no-cost recycling. However, the EPR program doesn’t cover everything. You’ll still pay for trash, and hard-to-recycle items like electronics, batteries, and light bulbs remain a separate expense. Those can be taken to the SHIFT Center at 2701 Downhill Drive or the Milner Landfill facility 12 miles west of Steamboat.

The transition isn’t just about saving money; it’s about changing who bears the weight of consumption. As the trucks roll through the streets, picking up the detritus of daily life, the silence of the un-billed service is a small victory. The cart is empty again, the street is clear, and the next bill will be a little lighter.