Community Recycling Study
As part of their Strategic Plan Goal of a Beautiful and Environmentally Sensitive City, Westminster’s City Council has established as an objective a convenient recycling program for residents and businesses with a high level of participation. This objective was established in response to 2008 Citizen Surveyresults regarding recycling and on-going concerns received by Council from the community on recycling.
To reach this objective, Westminster is conducting a critical analysis of trash and recycling services in the City. Instead of running trash collection, Westminster licenses collectors for both trash and recycling. The current system has varying service levels from haulers and inconsistencies with pricing. Residents are confused over what can be recycled, how much it will cost and where materials are going.
Currently, we have a recycling system with no incentive to recycle.
We are working with trash collectors, residents, businesses, the Environmental Advisory Board and the Green Team to identify a system that will improve and potentially incentivize recycling.
We want your input and your thoughts.
NOTE: The City of Westminster is NOT evaluating a trash collection system that will centralize trash collection under one contract, district the City or require haulers offer a pay-as-you-throw collection system.
To get involved you can post/submit your comments or questions:
We are encouraging dialogue on this issue at the Westminster Green Team Facebook page.
If you are not a member of Facebook, you can email your comments to taff for posting on the Team's Facebook page. We do not have a blog on the city website and are using Facebook for this avenue: email: publicrecycle@cityofwestminster.us.
You can also leave a voicemail message and staff will transcribe them to Facebook entries (303-706-3200).
You do not need to be a member of Facebook to view comments submitted. Click on the link above to view current postings.
Stay up to date on the Recycling Study Subcommittee of the Environmental Advisory Board:
Between December of 2010 and the Spring of 2012, this Subcommittee studied recycling in Westminster to make a recommendation to the Environmental Advisory Board on ways to support City Council's Strategic Plan Objective of a convenient recycling program for residents and businesses with a high level of participation. In March of 2012, the Subcommittee completed their review and recommendations will be presented to the Environmental Advisory Board at the April 26, 2012 Board meeting.
Residents provided emailed and voicemailed comments and the Subcommittee learned what residents felt at public meetings. All comments were posted to the Green Team's Facebook paage.
Members of the Recycling Study Subcommittee included:
*HOA management company representative (Todd Fakler, Management Specialists);
*Citizen living in a group trash collection area (Steve Mack, Westcliff HOA President);
*Three non-HOA/group trash collection resident (Shirley Garcia, Roman Kohler,
Jill McLoughlin, Barbara Garrett);
*Multifamily Resident (position vacant/resident resigned due to health concerns);
*Maintain the Status Quo resident (Gloria Fisher);
*Residential licensed trash collection companies (9);
*A representative of strip mall management company/developer (Dino Valente, Valente's Deli Bakery);
*Another business representative (Peter Smith, Smith Environmental & Engineering
and City Business Advisory Group Member);
*Environmental Advisory Board members: Nick Pizzuti and Lisa Bressler, Board Chairperson
email: publicrecycle@cityofwestminster.us
NOTE: The Study Subcommittee did NOT evaluate a trash collection system that will centralize trash collection under one contract, district the City or require haulers offer a pay-as-you-throw collection system.
Due to website upgrades, the audio files are only available through Staff. To listen to audio recordings, please contact Sr. Projects Officer
Rachel Harlow-Schalk at 303-658-2189.
Past Meetings:
December 16, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
Read the notes from the December 16, 2010 meeting
January 20, 2011, 6:30 p.m.
Read the notes from the January 20, 2011 meeting
See the presentations given:
How did we get to these four opportunities?
Nick Pizzuti, Environmental Advisory Board Chairperson
Diversion Rate Goal Setting
David Freeman, Skumatz Economic Research Associates
February 24, 2011, REVISED START TIME: 6 p.m.
Read the notes from the February 24, 2011 meeting
See the presentations given:
City of Fort Collins Approach for Meeting 50% Waste Diversion Goal
Susan Gordon, Senior Environmental Planner, City of Fort Collins
Pay-As-You-Throw: The Nuts and Bolts of How the Program Works
David Freeman, Skumatz Economic Research Associates
March 17, 2011, REVISED START TIME: 6 p.m.
Read the notes from the March 17, 2011 meeting
See the presentations given
City of Westminster, Recycling Drop-off Location Program (PowerPoint)
Jerry Cinkosky, Facilities Manager and Rachel Harlow-Schalk, Environmental
and Administrative Services Officer, City of Westminster
Commercial Recycling Options
David Freeman, Skumatz Economic Research Associates
April 21, 2011, 6:00 p.m. REVISED START TIME
Read the notes from the April 21, 2011 meeting
See the presentations given
Westminster's Trash Collection Licensing System
Rachel Harlow-Schalk, Environmental and Administrative Services
Officer, City of Westminster
Calculating Diversion Rates
David Freeman, Skumatz Economic Research Associates
May 19, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
Read the notes from the May 19, 2011 meeting
See the presentations given
Other cities' recycling drop-off locations
SERA Report, City Comparables Appendix Drop-off Locations
Organics Collection Opportunities: What other cities do
David Freeman, Skumatz Economic Research Associates
Commercial Recycling Options-March 17, 2011 Presentation
David Freeman, Skumatz Economic Research Associates
Maps of Homeowner Association Recycling in Westminster
Rachel Harlow-Schalk, Environmental and Administrative Services
Officer, City of Westminster
June 16, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
Notes from this meeting are not available because the subcommittee drafted preliminary draft recommendations. Draft documentation is not being uploaded to the website.
March 8, 2012, 6:00 p.m.
The Community Recycling Study Subcommittee completed its recommendations.
After consideration of input from the Focus Group and drafted research by staff on the preliminary draft recommendations, the Community Recycling Study Subcommittee completed its recommendations to the Environmental Advisory Board. This was the final meeting of the Subcommittee unless the Board had further questions as a result of reviewing the recommendations.
Focus Group Input:
On Jan. 12, 2012, 11 residents volunteered to be a part of a focus group and react to the preliminary draft recommendations of the community recycling study subcommittee. A report of the moderator's findings from the focus group is available for review.
Public meetings:
November 9 and 10, 2010 Public Meeting Information:
*Presentation to the Public at November 9 and 10 Meetings
*Meeting Handout
Note: provides more details on the status of the project not found in the presentation
*Public Comments and Notes from the Meetings
*Public Comments Received via Email, Voicemail and on Facebook prior to the Meetings
Note: all personal information on those who made comments has been removed
Find out more on this project:
Staff Reports to City Council:
Next Steps for the Community Recycling Project - November 28, 2011
Community Recycling Project Review - February 14, 2011
Community Recycling Project Update - January 3, 2011
Report on Project Timeline - October 18, 2010
Community Recycling Services Research Report to City Council - September 13, 2010
Report to City Council regarding the Community Solid Waste and Recycling Project and work with Skumatz Economic Research Associates, Inc. - December 21, 2009
Recommendations from the City's Green Team - January 5, 2009
Community Recycling Research Report:
2010 Community Solid Waste and Recycling Analysis - City of Westminster by Skumatz Economic Research Associates - this is the full document.
Below are specific sections of the report based on topic of interest:
*Residential Trash Collection Street-side Set-out Survey
*Residential Trash and Recycling Web-Survey
--survey questions answered by residents
--survey confidence level and sampling results supplemental memorandum
*Commercial Trash and Recycling Service Analysis
*Analysis of City Recycling Drop-off Locations
*Interviews with Licensed Trash Collectors
*What other cities are doing
*Gap Analysis: Westminster Trash and Recycling Collection
*Report Recommendations and Review by the Environmental Advisory Board
*Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) System Overview and Practices
One of the Recommendations Being Studied
*Full Research Summary and Conclusions
Residential and Business Survey Confidence Level and Sampling -October 2010 Supplemental Memorandum to Skumatz Economic Research Associates Research Report
Pay-as-you-throw Trash Systems and Lack of Connection to Illegal Dumping-August 2010 Supplemental Memorandum to Skumatz Economic Research Associates Report
2008 Citizen Survey:
2008 City of Westminster Citizen Survey
November 9 and 10, 2010 Public Meeting Information:
Presentation to the Public at November 9 and 10 Meetings
Meeting Handout
Note: provides more details on the status of the project not found in the presentation
Public Comments and Notes from the Meetings
Public Comments Received via Email, Voicemail and on Facebook prior to the Meetings
Note: all personal information on those who made comments has been removed
Current Trash Collection Requirements:
Solid Waste Collection Code
Solid Waste Business Licensing Requirement
Recommendations from the Community Recycling Study Subcommittee
of the Environmental Advisory Board:
March 2012:
Community Recycling Study Subcommittee Final Report
Other Helpful Information:
Learn who is licensed to collect trash and recycling in Westminster