Englewood sustainability commission endorses South Metro waste diversion plan, approves letter to city council

Englewood Sustainability Commission members voted unanimously to approve a letter supporting the South Metro waste diversion plan after a presentation from consultants on regional recycling and organics strategies.

The plan, presented by Helen Lee, a senior consultant with RS, and Joelle Friedlander, an analyst, covers coordinated diversion strategies for Englewood and three neighboring cities (Centennial, Littleton and Sheridan). Lee told the commission that the consultants’ waste composition work found “almost half of the waste that is disposed of in the landfill is organic waste,” and she said the region currently recycles about 15 percent of its residential waste.

The commissioners heard that the South Metro baseline assessment included a hand-sorted composition study (more than 10,000 pounds of material), resident surveys in English and Spanish, focused outreach to multifamily and disadvantaged communities, interviews with haulers and a two-day regional summit. Lee said the consultants estimate that about 78 percent of the region’s waste could be…