Focus Area: Circular Materials Economy

This is the focus area for you if you want to explore these questions:

• How can we go beyond our recycle-compost-landfill approach to create a closed loop of goods and services in which nothing goes to waste?
• How do we reduce our demands on the natural world by using recycled and refurbished raw materials and products.

Topics might include:

Food systems and food choice | Consumption | Policy and legislative work | Current data | Innovation in zero waste systems

CIRCULAR MATERIALS ECONOMY

BOULDER’S LEADERSHIP

We’ve been working for decades to become a zero waste community. We’re making great progress, but need to move beyond recycling and composting to limit the creation of waste materials to begin with.

The City of Boulder and most other U.S. communities who measure emissions from waste historically only include emissions from materials that are already wasted.

If emissions associated with our consumption were figured in, then emissions associated with our “stuff” would be 60% higher.

CREATING CIRCULARITY

A circular model builds economic, natural and social capital based on three principles:

• Design out waste and pollution
• Keep products and materials in use
• Regenerate natural systems

IN PLACE NOW

Universal Zero Waste Ordinance requiring all properties in the city to have recycling and compost collection service; all businesses to provide 3-sort-system bins, signs and education to their employees, and bins and signs to their customers.

• Pay-as-you-throw waste pricing
• Disposable bag fee on paper/plastic bags at food stores
• Partners for A Clean Environment (PACE)
• Zero waste business advising
• Green Bag Giveaway
• University of Colorado Green Teams
• Eco-Cycle Eco-Leaders
• Food Waste Awareness Week events

Boulder County Recycling Center
Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM)
Hazardous Materials Management Facility
Yard and wood waste drop-off center
ArtParts, creative reuse center
Resource, Used Buildings Material yard
Tool lending library
A1 Organics compost facility

WHERE WE ARE

2018 COMMUNITY WIDE DIVERSION RATE – 57%

Efforts to date have been focused on achieving our zero waste goal of 85% waste diversion by 2025. For decades we have focused on ensuring access to – and participation in – recycling and composting programs.

• Urban Metabolism Study - evaluating materials flows into and out of Boulder to identify high-leverage “hot spots” to create a more circular economy.
• Food systems focus - Reducing food waste and addressing food choice are among the top climate solutions globally.
• Procurement - Driving change by leveraging our large purchasers of goods.
• Reuse-focused Innovation Hub - A vision to create a circular economy innovation center to support new business ideas.
• Legislative work- Driving state and federal policy initiatives to address problem materials.

PLANNED ACTIONS

GAME CHANGERS

CIRCULAR CHARLOTTE

The city of Charlotte, NC developed a circular economy plan in order to reduce waste and boost economic development. Their “Circular Charlotte” report estimates that the program could capture up to $111 million in value. This strategy aims to help address city-wide issues such as economic and social mobility.

AMSTERDAM SHARING ECONOMY

Amsterdam has developed a proactive approach to the sharing economy to enable the city, businesses and residents to reap the benefits from sharing platforms. The plan sits alongside the city’s circular economy activities, and innovations have sprung from it that increase access to and use of public and private assets, including the sharing of household items, space, modes of transport and even food.

MAKING GREEN COMMERCE MAINSTREAM

The Jeans Redesign Guidelines set out minimum requirements on garment durability, material health, recyclability and traceability. Based on the principles of the circular economy, the guidelines will work to ensure jeans last longer, can easily be recycled, and are made in a way that is better for the environment and the health of garment workers.

Loop is a reusable ecommerce shopping platform that sells name brand products in long-lasting packaging that is designed for multiple reuse before ultimately being recycled.

Learn More About Circular Materials Economy

from these helpful resources, websites, and stories

Zero In On The Issue:

The concept of Zero Waste refers to the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without creating harm to the environment or human health which comes from burning, burying or dumping on land or sea. Check out our extensive topic page.

Why zero waste is a climate solution

Eco-Cycle explains why addressing waste and consumption is a critical climate solution. Visit Site

What is the Circular Economy?

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is at the forefront of defining and driving circular economy concepts. Read and listen to learn what “circular economy” is all about.

Cities and the Circular Economy

Exploration of how important cities are to the transition to a circular economy. Visit Site

Circular Charlotte Report

Charlotte has adopted a circular economy strategy as their economic model for the city. This report by Metabolic, who are Boulder’s circular economy consultants as well, outlines how to make it happen. Download PDF

Recently Submitted Comments & Suggestions

Let’s Look At: Humans as part of ecosystem not separate – returning to right relationship with the rest of our community of plants and animals Mental health and processing the grief of extinction Boulder Housing Partners sequestration on all properties, trees, gardens, compost with community involvement Heavy timber/CLT Boulder as a prooving ground Signs for yards drawing down carbon (education/inspire)

Show Recently Submitted Comments & Suggestions

Actions to improve, repair/share economy
Foster a reuse economy
Local H2O filter recycling
Have tariffs or quotas on worst environmentally destructive things (meat, cement …?)
More by the trash education – more frequent compost and recycling
Take only what you need, use everything you take, ask first, message about reducing consumption
Use fabricate + homeless population to make basic clothes locally so we don’t have to import from china and homeless have another work training program
Hefty bottled drinking water tax to fund public drinking water fountains (freeze resistant, year-round) like Chautauqua Ranger Station
List of items that you recommend we avoid purchasing
Stop shopping campaigns
Engage multiple points on the value chains
Change culture – new story
Put a price on waste and single use items
Reduce water consumption
Work to legalize grey water systems in Colorado
Gather things from seniors – downsizing and redistribution
Increase plastic bag fee to drive change or BAN THEM
As excited I am about zero waste, waste is 2% of GHG inventory, so shouldn’t we concentrate on higher impact targets?

Events focused on Circular Materials Economy

View our robust and searchable Community Calendar to find out who’s taking action, where and when. Film screenings, community dialogues, panels, marches, workshops, meditations, and more—with thousands of events happening throughout the Boulder Community, there’s no shortage of ways to get involved.

Circular City of Boulder: Community Visioning Event

November 13 Join us to envision ways we can shift to a circular materials economy in Boulder. Imagine a city that functions like an ecosystem. No waste. No impacts. Self-sufficient. Resilient and regenerative by design. We need your help in visioning what this transition should look like and how to take it forward in a way that improves our city for everyone who lives here. Community Room at the Open Space and Mountain Parks facility. Details & Registration

America Recycles Day: Free Battery Collection Event

November 15 In honor of America Recycles Day, the Resource Conservation Division is hosting its second annual battery collection event at the Hazardous Materials Management Facility (1901c 63rd Street, Boulder) to promote safe and responsible disposal of batteries. For more information, visit boco.org/batteries

Wasted! The Story of Food Waste

November 20 eTown is excited to announce the continuation of Green Screens, an environmental documentary and community engagement series that will further discussion and action around climate and environmental issues. The second film in the series, WASTED! The Story of Food Waste, aims to change the way people buy, cook, recycle, and eat food. Tickets here.

Attend a Compost Workshop

Tturn your food and yard waste into valuable soil! Learn how to start and maintain a highly efficient backyard compost system including what to feed your compost pile, appropriate bins and methods for our geographic region, tips, troubleshooting, and much more. See Workshop Schedule