The City of Boulder has been working for decades to become zero waste and move beyond recycling and composting to a circular economic model that eliminates waste. Currently, 57% of materials are diverted from the landfill through recycling and composting programs. Boulder plans to further these efforts through actions like an urban metabolism study, focusing on reducing food waste, sustainable procurement policies, and an innovation hub for circular solutions.

1. BOULDER’S LEADERSHIP
We’ve been working for decades to become a zero waste community.While we’re making great progress, we need to move beyond recycling and composting
to a circular economic model that doesn’t create waste materials to begin with.
The City of Boulder and most other U.S. communities who measure emissions from waste historically only include emissions from materials that are already
wasted.They don’t include all the emissions created during production and use of the materials.
If emissions associated with our consumption were figured into emissions inventories, then emissions associated with our “stuff” would be 60% higher.
Source: C40 Cities report
CIRCULAR MATERIALS ECONOMY
CREATING CIRCULARITY
Looking beyond the current take-make-waste extractive industrial
model, a circular economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive,
society-wide benefits.
This entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the
consumption of finite resources and designing waste out of the system.
Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular
model builds economic, natural and social capital based on three
principles:
• Design out waste and pollution
• Keep products and materials in use
• Regenerate natural systems
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation

2. 2018 COMMUNITY WIDE DIVERSION RATE – 57%
Efforts to date have been focused on achieving our zero waste goal of 85% waste diversion by 2025. For decades we have
focused on ensuring access to – and participation in – recycling and composting programs, making progress on a solution
within our current economic system.
WHEREWE ARE
IN PLACE NOW
• Universal Zero Waste Ordinance requiring all properties in the city to have recycling and
compost collection service; all businesses to provide 3-sort-system bins, signs and
education to their employees, and bins and signs to their customers.
• Zero waste facilities:
• Boulder County Recycling Center and Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials
(CHaRM)
o Hazardous Materials Management Facility
o Yard and wood waste drop-off center
o Creative reuse center
o Resource Used Buildings Material yard
o Tool lending library
o A1 Organics compost facility
• Pay-as-you-throw waste pricing
• Disposable bag fee on paper/plastic bags at food stores
• Partners for A Clean Environment (PACE)
o Zero waste advising service for city and county
• Green Bag Giveaway
o Ensuring businesses in Boulder can properly contain compostable organic waste
• University of Colorado Green Teams
o Student-to-student outreach
• Eco-Cycle Multi-family Complex Eco-Leader program
• Food Waste Awareness Week events
o Raise the profile of food waste as a climate issue
PLANNED ACTIONS
• Urban Metabolism Study - Metabolic, LLC. is helping the city evaluate materials flows
into and out of Boulder to find the materials streams for which we can have the most
impact in creating a more circular economy.
• Food systems focus -We know that reducing food waste and addressing nutrition is
one of the top climate solutions globally, and we can be a leader in this effort.
• Procurement -We will work within the city and with industry partners to drive change
by leveraging our collective power as large purchasers of goods.
• Innovation Hub - A vision for the current home of Eco-Cycle and Resource Central at
6400 ArapahoeAve. to be expanded to include a cutting-edge circular economy
innovation hub to support new solutions and new business ideas.
• Legislative work- Continued efforts to drive policy at the state and federal level that
will better enable communities to address problem materials and require
manufacturers to be more responsible for the waste their products create.

3. CIRCULAR CHARLOTTE
The city of Charlotte, NC developed a circular economy plan in order to reduce waste and boost economic development.
Their “CircularCharlotte” report estimates that the program could capture up to $111 million in value.
This economic development strategy aims to help the city address key issues impacting the entire city such as economic and
social mobility.They intend for Circular Charlotte to help the city become the epicenter for people and cities to learn how to
experiment, create and innovate.
GAME CHANGERS
AMSTERDAM SHARING ECONOMY
Amsterdam has developed a proactive approach to the sharing economy to support the goals of its Sharing Economy Action
Plan.This is designed to enable the city, businesses and residents to reap the benefits from sharing platforms.
The plan sits alongside the city’s circular economy activities, recognizing that the sharing economy opens up opportunities to
make better use of materials and resources. Multiple innovations have sprung from it that increase access to and use of public
and private assets, including the sharing of household items, space, modes of transport and even food.
MAKING GREEN COMMERCE MAINSTREAM
The Jeans Redesign Guidelines set out minimum requirements on garment durability, material health, recyclability and
traceability. Based on the principles of the circular economy, the guidelines will work to ensure jeans last longer, can easily be
recycled, and are made in a way that is better for the environment and the health of garment workers.The project brought
together more than 40 denim experts from academia, brands, retailers, manufacturers, collectors, sorters and NGOs, to
develop the guidelines, including mainstream retailers like GAP andTommy Hillfiger.
Loop is a reusable ecommerce shopping platform that sells name brand products in long-lasting packaging that is designed
for multiple reuse before ultimately being recycled. Empty packaging is picked up for free at users’ homes and returned to
Loop for cleaning and refilling. Loop has launched in partnership with Kroger andWalgreens in the Mid-Atlantic states but is
expected to expand quickly.