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solid waste & recycling
greenprint goals
2007 Goals
Waste Minimization
- Increase material recycled in Denver's recycling program by 50 percent by 2007, from 18,000 tons in 2005 to 27,000 tons. Each ton of material recycled reduces carbon emissions by nearly three metric tons, equivalent to two-thirds the emissions of a typical automobile, or the carbon absorbed by planting 76 seedlings grown for 10 years.
- Establish recycling in one highly-visible city facility such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
- At Denver International Airport, decrease the amount of solid waste sent to the landfill by 5 percent annually from the 2005 baseline number of 0.51 pounds per passenger. Target for 2007 is 0.46 pounds per passenger.
- Develop a plan to reduce paper consumption citywide by 20 percent over the next four years.
Eco-Efficient Procurement
- Increase the proportion of eco-efficient annual commodity and service bids by 10 percent per year from 2004 baseline.
- Use flyash concrete in city infrastructure projects wherever possible. Flyash is a waste product from coal-burning power plants that produces highly durable and less expensive concrete.
2011 Goals
Waste Minimization
- Reduce landfilled waste by 30 percent per current customer household through composting, recycling, and modification of collection methods from 2004 baseline.
- Decrease the amount of airport solid waste disposed in the landfill by 5 percent annually from the 2005 baseline number of 0.51 pounds per passenger, to 0.26 lbs. per passenger.
- Reduce citywide paper use by 20 percent or more.
Eco-Efficient Procurement
- Increase the proportion of eco-efficient annual commodity and service bids to 60 percent from the 2004 baseline.
