Simple Ways to Part with Plastic

Say goodbye to single-use plastic, one wrapper at a time.

Single-use plastics are plastic items designed to be used only once before they are thrown away. Common examples include plastic bags, food wrappers, condiment packets and straws. These one-and-done plastics have severe, long-lasting environmental impacts, despite only being used for a few moments.

Make a quick list of single-use plastics you find around your home and in your trash: chip bags, shampoo tubes, plastic wrap, etc. The kitchen and bathroom tend to be plastic hot spots. Once you've got your list, start to plan

Replace plastic produce bags for reusable cloth and mesh bags.

Share these tips with family, friends and neighbors! You can also join Eco-Cycle’s network of more than 1,000 volunteers who help our community get on board with zero-waste solutions.

Read through Eco-Cycle's How to Quit Plastics Workbook.

Our city is committed to a future where we reduce the waste we create and then reuse, recycle and compost most of what we throw away. Saying no to single-use plastics, which may take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose, keeps our community cleaner for all to enjoy. But single-use plastics are just the beginning.

Moving beyond recycling and zero waste to focus on circularity

The city's vision is to create a circular local economy that keeps materials out of landfills and in use as much as possible. This growing area of work moves beyond recycling and composting to focus on preventing waste and pollution in the first place. It also explores innovative ways to curb our collective consumption through reuse and repair. Learn more on our Circular Boulder webpage.

Our recycling system is not broken here in Boulder. It continues to save energy, emissions, water and money. In 2021, the city of Boulder recycled 25% of its waste. Learn more about our recycling system on Eco-Cycle's website.

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