Boulder County awards funding for zero waste programs 

Boulder County, Colo. - The Boulder County Board of County Commissioners awarded $47,300 to 8 waste reduction programs on Feb. 4 as part of the Resource Conservation Division’s Community Outreach Program for 2016.

Established in 1997, the Boulder County Zero Waste Funding program has awarded more than $1 million for education and infrastructure initiatives which promote waste reduction and diversion.

Programs funded for 2016:

Town of Nederland - $5,000
The Town of Nederland will begin a project that will provide recycling containers and educational programs throughout Nederland town buildings, which will increase correct participation in the town’s recycling efforts.

One-Way, Inc. - $10,000
The funds from this grant will enable One Way, Inc. to outfit a small truck which will increase capacity for recycling in mountain communities throughout Boulder County.

Center for Resource Conservation - $5,000
The Center for Resource Conservation will purchase a new trailer to increase the amount of construction and demolition recycling opportunities throughout Boulder County.

Boulder County Public Health - $10,000
Boulder County Public Health aims to increase safety and sustainability of needle sharps and biohazard waste disposal for the Works Program; a harm reduction program for people who engage in injection drug use.

Eco-Cycle Business Recycling - $6,175
This project will help businesses comply with the City of Boulder’s Universal Zero Waste Ordinance. This project will be geared toward the collection of compostable material from businesses located in heavily concentrated areas of the city-facing space constrains.

Eco-Cycle Signage - $4,000
Funds will be used to improve identification of the 6400 Arapahoe site by creating a welcoming gateway, and provide better on-site navigation for new visitors to the Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) and ReSource programs.

Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility - $3,050
This grant will provide the preliminary infrastructure necessary to significantly increase the waste diversion of controlled substances and needle sharps at the Boulder County HMMF.

Community Cycles - $4,075
Community Cycles will increase awareness of bicycle recycling, as well as other zero-waste options, through a countywide education campaign, coupled with bicycle collection events.

For more information on this program, contact Leigh Cushing, at 720-564-2238 or lcushing@bouldercounty.org. For more information about Boulder County’s other sustainability efforts, contact Susie Strife at sstrife@bouldercounty.org, or 303-441-4565.