DENVER — The rollout of compost bins in Denver will reach new neighborhoods this summer. But citywide, some residents will still have to wait until the end of next year before getting their free bins.
When Denver started a “pay as you throw” trash program in 2023, residents had to start paying for trash based on the size of their trash bin and then got free recycling and composting.
Prior to 2023, trash and recycling were included as part of Denver’s property tax. Recycling was every other week and compost was an additional cost.
Now trash costs, with recycling picked up each week and composting for free, if you have a bin.
“We have nine collection areas, and our current plan is to do one per quarter,” Nina Waysdorf, Denver’s waste diversion and recycling manager, said. “Rolling out the city in phases, so we can scale up our education as we go.”
Last summer, Denver started delivering the first free compost bins to residents in City Park, north to Globeville and Elyria Swansea.
The most recent neighborhoods to get compost bins are in northeast Denver, in Montbello and Green Valley Ranch.
“That area had our lowest number of existing compost customers. We saw, like, a 400% increase in participation,” Waysdorf said.
When compost bins cost, there were 414 customers in Montbello and Green Valley Ranch. Now, there are 2,219.
From City Park north to Globeville and Elyria Swansea, compost use increased from 2,060 to 11,353.
“We have part of the city with significantly higher number of existing compost customers, and we’re focusing on the areas that have lower participation,” Waysdorf said.
Later this month, residents of West Denver will receive a notice in the mail to choose a compost bin size, if they want one.
Those neighborhoods include:
- Athmar Park
- Auraria
- Baker
- Barnum
- Barnum West
- Civic Center
- Lincoln Park
- Sun Valley
- Union Station
- Valverde
- Villa Park
- Westwood
- Parts of the Central Business District and West Colfax neighborhoods
“It’s generally Broadway to Sheridan and Colfax to Mississippi,” Waysdorf said.
The neighborhoods with the most participation are in northwest Denver, central Denver, east Denver and southeast Denver, so one of those areas will be the last to receive compost bins toward the end of 2025.
“We’re going to keep evaluating and if we can move faster, we certainly will. But, right now we’re feeling really good about educating as we go,” Waysdorf said.
In the meantime, residents who do not have a compost bin continue to get a credit on their billing.
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