Colorado city awarded $9.8M grant to boost recycling access

The Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise has awarded the city of Grand Junction, Colorado, a multiyear $9.8 million grant in an effort to significantly increase recycling access in the Western Slope region.

The city plans to build a material recovery facility (MRF) to benefit rural and underserved areas in the Western Slope and says advanced sortation equipment will increase the amount of recyclable material that can be reused in manufacturing.

“Increasing recycling access and expanding capacity are key steps to boosting the circular economy,” says Jeff Stalter, Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise program manager.

The Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise was established in May 2024 as part of the state’s House Bill 24-1449, or Environmental Sustainability Circular Economy. The legislation aimed to establish a statewide program that employs a circularity framework for reducing and diverting material.

“This new program modernizes pollution prevention, establishes a single board of directors and will provide greater flexibility for grants, project funding and technical assistance for all of Colorado,” the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment says.

The enterprise recommended the Grand Junction MRF project after spending more than seven months assessing the request, partnerships, financial viability and sustainability. The funding will support advanced sorting equipment to ensure the MRF produces high-quality commodities and offers affordable waste management fees, according to the department.

“This project will connect Western Slope residents to recycling and give us an opportunity to keep these materials in circulation,” says Tyler Bandemer, chair of the enterprise’s board of directors. “The Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise board is proud to support this local government and industry partnership.”

The department says grant and funding opportunities for work that advances Colorado’s circular economy are continuously available, and that local governments, tribes and public K-12 school districts also can receive no-cost technical assistance to support local circularity planning.