Creating Systemic Change Through Statewide Policy

Colorado recycles and composts only 16% of its waste—just half the national average of 32%. To significantly increase Colorado’s waste diversion, we need to change the system. We need to make recycling, composting, and other Zero Waste solutions more accessible and convenient to everyone in the state, regardless of which town they live in. The best way to achieve this is to adopt state policies that improve Zero Waste infrastructure, services, and programs, and help develop recycling end markets. 

Campaigns in 2026

Supporting Electric Vehicle Battery Stewardship: Senate Bill 26-003

What happens to those big batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) once they reach the end of their useful life? EV batteries contain valuable materials that can and should be recaptured and reused. As Coloradans increasingly switch to EVs, demand for critical minerals—such as lithium and cobalt—grows to power these vehicles. This bill would require car manufacturers to develop a plan to educate the public, collect unwanted EV batteries, and recycle them. SB26-003 would establish a national model that other states could follow, making sure that valuable minerals are recaptured into the supply chain. The bill rightfully emphasizes reuse and repurposing prior to the recycling of EV batteries, building on existing free-market pathways, and requires battery producers to label EV batteries with information to make them easier to recycle starting in 2028. 

Defending the Landfill Methane Monitoring Rule: Senate Bill 26-101

Last year, Colorado approved new regulations to reduce methane and toxic air emissions from landfills. These regulations, which are a big win for public health and our climate, include cost-effective, commonsense standards to modernize how landfills manage methane monitoring, gas destruction, and leak repair. The regulations replace outdated practices with updated standards that reflect current science and modern technology. When first introduced, Senate Bill 26-101 contained language that would have undermined these new landfill methane regulations, circumventing over a year of negotiations to reach consensus and a workable compromise between landfills, local governments, environmental groups, and other impacted communities. Eco-Cycle staff worked with our allies to successfully amend the bill to remove the loopholes for landfills that would have allowed them to avoid compliance. The bill now only contains funding opportunities to help landfills comply with the new rule. 

Defending Right to Repair: Senate Bill 26-090

When equipment breaks, consumers should have the right to fix it—simple as that. Thanks to Colorado’s nation-leading Right to Repair laws, including most recently HB24-1121, we’ve made real progress toward that goal.

SB26-090 threatened to roll back that progress by carving out exemptions for “critical” IT equipment like servers and routers. While targeted exemptions for legitimate security concerns may make sense, excluding all servers and routers would undermine the very intent of the law. This bill would have led to higher costs, fewer repair options, and more electronic waste. Eco-Cycle worked hard to fight this effort and protect consumers’ right to repair. Repair is a vital aspect of reuse, both of which lengthen the amount of time products can be used, reducing their environmental impacts. Allied organizations, led by the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), helped defeat this bill.

Supporting Skip the Stuff: SB26-146

Billions of disposable takeout items are handed out every year—many never used, yet still taking up natural resources to produce, costing money, and creating unnecessary waste. Building on lessons from across the US, SB26-146 makes single-use items available by request only, cutting costs, reducing trash, and giving customers more choice. Eco-Cycle supports the bill because it is a win for restaurants, customers, and the environment.

Working toward a regenerative, circular, Zero Waste Colorado

In addition to the bills listed above, Eco-Cycle has engaged in over a dozen bills this year, including:

• HB26-1132: Practices to Support Pollinators. Eco-Cycle staff testified in support to promote more native pollinator-friendly plants.
• SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner Insurance Enterprise. Eco-Cycle is working with champions to encourage newly built homes to have impact-resistant roofs to reduce tremendous hail-caused waste through this new Homeowner Insurance assistance program.
• Two plastic pollution reduction efforts, the Plastic Pollution Awareness Resolution (SJR26-022) and SB26-016 Prohibit Discharge Preproduction Plastic Materials. Eco-Cycle testified in support of prohibiting the release of plastic pellets and other preproduction plastic materials into the environment (SB26-016) and developing a campaign for Plastic Pollution Awareness Week, July 12–18, 2026.
• HB26-1111: Pesticide Product Disposal & Container Recycling. Eco-Cycle testified in support of this program that will protect our land and water and help farmers safely dispose of unused pesticides so that they can recycle the containers.
• Eco-Cycle supported a handful of bills clarifying Producer Responsibility laws we have helped pass in previous years, so that implementation can continue on schedule.
• SB26-065: Systemic Insecticide Use Limitations. Though this bill died, we are proud to have supported efforts to reduce the use of neonicotinoid insecticides. We look forward to continuing to engage with the coalition that put this bill forward and with Colorado farmers to build pathways to neonicotinoid insecticides reduction and regenerative agriculture.