Longmont City Council passes Universal Recycling Ordinance

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(July, 12, 2023) – The Longmont City Council passed the Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO) in the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, July 11, to support the City’s goal of diverting 75% of our waste from the landfill by 2030 and 95% by 2050. The Ordinance focuses on a phased implementation for recycling and organics diversion for commercial and large multifamily properties. The requirements include the following:

  • Jan. 1, 2024: Recycling services required for commercial properties over 10,000 square feet and multifamily properties with more than 75 units

  • June 1, 2024: Recycling services required for all commercial and multifamily properties

  • Jan. 1, 2025*: Organics collection required for food wholesalers, distributers, manufacturers, and grocery stores

  • June 1, 2025*: Organics collection required for other select business types

  • Jan. 1, 2029*: Composting required for landscaping companies

*This timeline may be adjusted as we continue to monitor changes to composting policies

The City wants to work alongside the commercial and multifamily sectors to implement the Universal Recycling Ordinance. In addition to the exemption criteria, the City will have other assistance available to support compliance. For more information on the URO requirements, timeline, and exemption process please visit our City URO website.

Commercial and multifamily properties may qualify for an exemption based on the following criteria:

• Produce less than 96 gallons of trash per week

• Self-haul or share a recycling or compost dumpster

• Lack of space to add an additional dumpster

• Innovation that diverts more than 50% of trash from the landfill

• Businesses experiencing economic hardship

• Donates food (organics only) *

• Composts on-site (organics only) *

*These exemptions are for Organics Collection

Reducing and diverting waste from landfills through recycling and composting are critical in achieving the Council’s goals. The URO helps build a clean and safe community that promotes healthy ecosystems that support clean air, water and soil. The City of Longmont is committed to zero waste efforts and the URO is a part of the Sustainability Plan in place to reach that goal.

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