Universal Recycling Ordinance

Help Shape the Future of Recycling in Golden

The City of Golden is exploring a Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO) to expand recycling access across the entire community and we need your input.

Today, not everyone in Golden has access to recycling, especially some residents in multifamily housing and certain businesses. Addressing this gap is both a matter of fairness and a key step toward achieving Golden’s goal of 80% waste diversion by 2030. This proposal would expand recycling access so that all properties have consistent access to recycling service alongside trash service.

We want to be transparent: this change could affect costs, space, and how waste is managed on your property. Your feedback will help shape how this moves forward. Please email your thoughts to goldensustainability@cityofgolden.net or share in the guestbook tool down below.

What's Being Proposed?

If adopted, this proposal would:

• Require any property that has trash service to also offer recycling service.
• Expand recycling access to more residents, including those in apartments and multi-family housing.
• Require businesses and commercial properties to provide recycling access.

Many communities across Colorado have already adopted similar approaches. More detailed information about this proposed ordinance is available in the supporting materials on this page.

How Could This Affect You?

We want to be upfront – this proposal may impact residents, businesses, and property owners in different ways:

• Cost: recycling service may add or shift costs depending on your current setup
• Space: some properties may need room for recycling carts or dumpsters
• Operations: businesses and property managers may need to adjust how waste is handled

At the same time, this proposal is designed to expand access and make recycling more consistent across the community. Your input will help us better understand these impacts and identify workable solutions.

How We're Working to Reduce Impacts

We understand that expanding recycling comes with challenges. The City is exploring ways to reduce those impacts:

• Statewide recycling funding (starting in 2026): Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Program is expected to help cover the cost of recycling services, reducing the financial impact of new requirements under a potential URO.
  Timeline:
  • Early 2026: Producers begin paying into the program
  • Early–mid 2026: Local communities apply for reimbursement
  • Mid–late 2026: Initial funding begins to flow to support recycling services
• Local incentives and support: The city currently offers rebates for properties adding new recycling dumpsters and is exploring additional resources to support site upgrades, like dumpster enclosures and infrastructure improvements.
• Downtown-specific solutions: the City is exploring a coordinated approach to waste and recycling in downtown Golden to address space constraints, shared alleys, and service efficiency. This program would provide a voluntary, shared-service model designed to make waste collection easier in the area. More details about this program will be shared as they become available.

What Happens Next?

The City and the Community Sustainability Advisory Board (CSAB) are continuing to evaluate options, gather input, and refine potential approaches.

You can share your input in the following ways:

• Email the Sustainability team at goldensustainability@cityofgolden.net.
• Share your input in the guestbook tool below.
• Attend a CSAB meeting and provide public comment.

Your feedback will play a key role in shaping any future recommendations to City Council.