HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 4/4/2023 - Memorandum From Molly Saylor And Ashley Pace Re: Council Priority Update: Enhanced Recycling EducationEnvironmental Services
222 Laporte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6600
fcgov.com/environmental services
MEMORANDUM
Date: March 29, 2023
To: Mayor Arndt and City Councilmembers
Thru: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Lindsay Ex, Environmental Services Director
Caroline Mitchell, Program Manager, Waste Reduction and Recycling
From: Molly Saylor, Lead Sustainability Specialist, Waste Reduction and Recycling
Ashley Pace, Senior Sustainability Specialist, Waste Reduction and Recycling
Re: Council Priority Update: Enhanced Recycling Education
Bottom line: The purpose of this memo is to follow through with the Q1 2023 commitment with a
progress update for the Enhanced Recycling Education Council Priority. As noted in the Council
dashboard, staff is primarily enhancing recycling education by conducting a Barriers to Recycling
Assessment and implementing the related recommendations. Staff has also supported education
consistency by continuing to distribute regionally-aligned recycling guidelines to the community and will
explore guidelines alignment with CSU in the fall of 2023.
Enhanced Recycling Education Progress
• Barriers to Recycling implementation - Progress on key findings
o Background: Waste Reduction and Recycling staff conducted the Barriers to Recycling
Assessment in 2021 and 2022, which centered feedback from historically
underrepresented community members and identified recommendations to increase
access to and participation in recycling, reusing, and reducing.
o Progress: All the recommendations that could be met with existing staffing were either
addressed in 2022 or will begin in 2023.
• Expanding the Recycling Ambassador program requires additional staffing to
implement and will be prioritized as dollars become available through Disposable
Bag Ordinance revenues or future Budgeting for Outcome processes.
• Other Recycling Education Enhancement Opportunities
o Background: In 2022, the Waste Reduction and Recycling team identified four additional
opportunities to support consistent education and recycling bin signage.
o Progress: All the opportunities were either addressed in 2022 or will be advanced in 2023.
• Details of the progress made and next steps are included in the attached table.
Next steps
• Incorporate recommendations into the following upcoming projects.
o Implementing the State’s ban on Styrofoam containers at restaurants, especially when
working with minority-owned restaurant owners and managers.
o Development (2023) and implementation of the Sustainable Timberline Recycling Center
Plan (2024); includes leveraging visual storytelling and updating TRC signage.
• Partner with haulers to ensure consistent signage for multi-family and commercial bins.
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• Continue to build relationships with the participants of the Barriers to Recycling Assessment to
gain deeper insights from them and members of their communities.
Attachment: Barriers to Recycling Implementation - Progress Summary Table
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Recommendations 2022 progress 2023 progress
Fund community partners (organizations) to co-
create and deploy culturally relevant recycling
education and awareness content
Funded community partners to
distribute free reusable bags and
messaging about the Disposable Bag
Ordinance
Co-create how polystyrene changes
will be communicated with
businesses, including minority-
owned businesses
Deepen practices that leverage visual storytelling
and communication wherever possible, including
at the Timberline Recycling Center
Created a video explaining the single-
use bag changes coming to all large
retailers
Explore video or other visual
storytelling to support the shift
away from Styrofoam and to
promote reuse more generally
Use language that acknowledges different actions
work for different people (and different abilities)
Incorporating diverse actions into
communication materials for making
the switch from single use bags
Collaborate with other cities and
recycling organizations to create an
"alternatives to styrofoam" guide as
there is no one-size-fits all for every
type of business
Highlight stories of recycling leadership across the
diverse cultures and groups in Fort Collins to
disrupt problematic narratives of who “cares”
enough to recycle, reuse, or reduce
Highlight businesses moving away
from Styrofoam containers in
advance of the State policy;
highlight success stories in public-
facing City newsletters and
documents like the update to the
Our Climate Future Next Moves plan
Partner with institutions such as Colorado State
University to align on recycling guidelines between
campus and student housing throughout Fort
Collins.
Work with CSU to identify how
guidelines differ and co-create
solutions
Expand the Recycling Ambassador program to
increase diversity within the program and increase
the reach of the program
Expanding recycling ambassador
program not possible due to
staffing limitations
Pending staffing, can start this
strategy
Update signage at the Timberline Recycling Center
and on waste infrastructure across the community
Sustainable TRC project paused to
focus on Council Priority projects,
i.e., Contracting
Re-start Sustainable TRC project and
leverage planning process to explore
on-site and community-wide
signage updates
Recommendations 2022 progress 2023 progress
Explore rebate options for low-income households
to dispose of hard-to-recycle materials at the
Timberline Recycling Center
Bulky item pick-up was included in
the City's new single hauler
municipal waste hauling contract
(developed in 2022, adopted early
2023)
Re-start Sustainable TRC project and
leverage planning process to explore
a "hard to recycle" support program
for low-income customers
Policy-focused
Expanding recycling education and awareness
Barriers to Recycling Findings and Implementation Progress
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Conduct robust engagement with historically
underrepresented community groups as part of
developing any new waste ordinances
Barriers to Recycling findings and
additional engagement of
historically underrepresented
community groups supported the
development of the City's new
residential waste hauling contract.
For instance, participants identified
the cost for disposing of large items
to be a barrier; in response, the City
contract includes collection of two
bulky items for no additional charge.
Policy implementation:
- Partner with Spanish speaking and
minority-owned businesses around
Styrofoam container ban
Policy development:
- Engage historically
underrepresented community
members around industrial and
commercial yard trimmings policy
development
Recommendations 2022 progress 2023 progress
Consider accessibility in any updates to the
Timberline Recycling Center (e.g., language, ability,
age, etc.)
Sustainable TRC project paused to
focus on Council Priority projects
Re-start Sustainable TRC project and
leverage planning process to explore
accessibility upgrades at the site
Explore the ability of the main entrance signage at
the Timberline Recycling Center to welcome
community members to the site.
Sustainable TRC project paused to
focus on Council Priority projects
Re-start Sustainable TRC project and
leverage planning process to explore
opportunities to make the site more
welcoming to all community
members
Explore pick-up options or neighborhood scale
collection events to alleviate transportation
burdens
Bulky item pick-up was included in
the City's new single hauler
municipal waste hauling contract
(developed in 2022, adopted early
2023)
Re-start Sustainable TRC project and
leverage planning process to explore
a "hard to recycle" support program
for low-income customers
Additional Opportunities 2022 progress 2023 progress
Community Recycling Ordinance (CRO)
Enforcement
Completed compliance sweep of
businesses and multi-unit housing to
confirm 100% compliance
Partner with haulers to explore
consistent bin signage for multi-
family and commercial bins.
Contracting Bulky item pick-up was included in
the City's new single hauler
municipal waste hauling contract
(developed in 2022, adopted early
2023)
Check HOA contracts for compliance
with City requirements, including
educational materials sent annually
to residents. Will partner with
Republic to create outreach
materials for residents.
Extended Producer Responsibility State Bill HB22-
1355
Bill was passed Support implementation through
participation on the Extended
Producer Responsibility Board
Operations
Other Recycling Education Enhancement Opportunities
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Ongoing education In addition to sending regionally-
aligned recycling guidelines to
residents at least once per year in
City Utility bills as well as once per
year through haulers, staff increased
visibility of major waste reduction
and recycling campaigns through
more radio and bus bench ads, as
well as returning to pre-COVID levels
of engagement at community events
Continue to send regionally-aligned
recycling guidelines to residents at
least once per year in City Utility
bills as well as once per year
through haulers and is working to
translate guidelines and key
materials into Spanish
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