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South Metro waste‑diversion plan: city staff outline organics and hauler policy options
Summary
City staff and consultants presented the South Metro Waste Diversion Plan on July 22 and told council that organics collection and organized residential hauling are the largest near‑term opportunities to reduce landfill tonnage.
City staff and consultants presented the South Metro Waste Diversion Plan in a regional briefing at the July 22 study session, describing data, recommended strategies and near‑term next steps for Littleton and neighboring cities. The work was conducted as a South Metro initiative and is intended to create coordinated, equity‑focused pathways to increase recycling and organics diversion across participating cities.
Consultant teams and city staff summarized a two‑season waste composition study that hand‑sorted roughly 10,000 pounds of regional waste. The analysis showed the region currently diverts about 15% of its waste and projects the region could generate approximately 260,000 tons of waste per year by 2035 if current trends continue. The consultants reported that roughly 78% of material currently sent to landfills could be recovered through expanded recycling, composting and targeted collection efforts; nearly half of the residential waste stream is organics (yard waste and food waste).
Based on that analysis and stakeholder outreach, the plan presents regional and city‑specific strategies. Regional priorities include establishing recycling drop‑off centers to serve residents without curbside access; expanding organics processing capacity and curbside organics collection options; and stronger diversion programs for multifamily and commercial properties. City‑level recommendations for Littleton include: piloting or implementing curbside yard/organics collection (a third bin or combined organics cart), adopting or strengthening hauler licensing with required tonnage reporting, pursuing organized residential collection or bundled pricing (which can produce more equitable and stable customer rates), and targeted construction and demolition (C&D) diversion policies that tie permitting to diversion outcomes.
Consultants explained Colorado’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) law — enacted in 2022 and under implementation — will require producers to fund portions of recycling costs through a producer responsibility organization; Circular Action Alliance has been selected as the PRO in draft plans. Staff said EPR should expand funding and access for recycling services beginning in 2026, and recommended the city engage with state implementation so Littleton can maximize reimbursements for curbside and drop‑off services.
Fiscal and operational points discussed included: organized collection can yield economies of scale, stabilize resident pricing and reduce truck trip overlap; Fort Collins’ pre‑organized collection analysis (cited by consultants) had attributed a notable share of road wear to multiple truck operations and estimated a substantial avoided pavement cost by consolidating services. Consultants noted processing capacity for organics and C&D materials is limited regionally today and will need public‑private investment and coordination as diversion expands.
Council members asked about who pays for new services and the logistics of returning finished compost to residents; consultants said EPR reimbursements, grant opportunities (for example through Colorado Circular Communities/C3), and organized collection savings are potential funding sources, and that implementation options vary (co‑collection of yard and food waste vs. a separate food scrap cart) and should be sized to Littleton’s needs. Staff also noted an existing hazardous‑materials and electronics pickup program (WM@YourDoor) that costs residents a fee and is subsidized by the city’s stormwater fund.
Staff said they will return with recommendations and a proposed resolution — potentially a joint resolution with other South Metro cities — and aimed for an Aug. 19 council return to adopt the regional plan or a city resolution to advance Littleton actions. Ending: Council asked staff to return with detailed timelines, fiscal analyses and options for regional collaboration, and agreed to further discussion of hauler licensing, organized collection and organics processing capacity.
