Colorado’s recycling and composting rate has been stuck at half the national average for several years. That’s according to a new report released recently called The State of Recycling and Composting in Colorado. It’s put together every year by EcoCycle, a nonprofit recycler, and the Colorado Public Interest Research Group. Rachel Setzke with EcoCycle is one of the co-authors of the report. She says in Colorado, 16% of waste is being diverted from landfill to compost and recycle. This is compared to the national average of 32%. Setzke says legislation passed last year in Colorado will help. And the Colorado Board of Health has passed new penalties for abuse, neglect, and preventable death cases at assisted-living facilities.
Chris Clements is a former news reporter for KSJD. He had previously covered literary arts as a reporter for The Chautauquan Daily in Chautauqua, New York, and graduated with a degree in English from Arizona State University. At KSJD, Chris has collaborated with KUNC (northern Colorado NPR) on water conservation stories, and had his spots regularly featured on NPR's national newscasts.