Colorado’s 2026 Legislative Session: Major Wins for Recycling, Waste Reduction, Right to Repair, and Climate Action

Colorado’s 2026 Legislative Session: Major Wins for Recycling, Waste Reduction, Right to Repair, and Climate Action

Colorado’s 2026 legislative session officially ended May 13, 2026, and Eco-Cycle played a major role in advancing Zero Waste policies that reduce waste, cut climate pollution, expand recycling, and support Colorado’s transition to a circular economy.

Throughout this year’s legislative session, Eco-Cycle staff worked directly with partner organizations and lawmakers to help draft policy, provide expert testimony, lobby for stronger environmental protections, and organize public support for key bills. Hundreds of Eco-Cycle community members and activists also contacted legislators and helped build momentum behind important recycling, climate protection, and waste reduction policies.

This year’s legislative work focused on issues including electric vehicle battery recycling, landfill methane emissions, Right to Repair protections, plastic pollution reduction, pollinator protection, and sustainable materials management.

Colorado “Skip the Stuff” Bill Will Reduce Single-Use Plastic Waste Statewide

Restrict Single-Use Food Serviceware Distribution (SB26-146) — PASSED

Sponsors: Sen. Lisa Cutter, Rep. Meg Froelich

If signed into law, this bill would reduce waste by making single-use takeout items—such as plastic utensils, napkins, straws, and condiment packets—available only upon request instead of automatically included in takeout orders. 

Eco-Cycle supported the legislation, which was championed by Colorado high school students, because it helps businesses cut costs, reduces unnecessary plastic waste, and gives consumers more choice while preventing millions of disposable items from entering the waste stream.

Colorado Passes EV Battery Recycling Bill

Electric Vehicle Battery Stewardship (SB26-003) — PASSED

Colorado took a major step toward responsible electric vehicle battery recycling with the passage of Senate Bill 26-003. The bill requires automakers to develop systems to collect, reuse, repurpose, and recycle EV batteries, helping keep valuable minerals in circulation and out of landfills. The legislation also prioritizes battery reuse before recycling and requires clearer battery labeling beginning in 2028 to improve recyclability.

Eco-Cycle worked closely with bill champions Western Resource Advocates and the Union of Concerned Scientists as well as lawmakers to support the bill, which could become a national model for electric vehicle battery stewardship and recycling policy.

Eco-Cycle Helps Protect Colorado Landfill Methane Rules

Landfill Methane Compliance Assistance (SB26-101) — PASSED WITH IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS

Sponsors: Sen. Byron Pelton, Sen. Dylan Roberts, Rep. Chris Richardson, Rep. Meghan Lukens

Landfills produce a lot of methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO₂ in the short term. Last year, Colorado approved new regulations to reduce methane and toxic air emissions from landfills. These regulations were threatened by a proposed law, SB26-101, which would undo some of that progress with industry-friendly loopholes. 

Eco-Cycle staff worked with our allies to successfully amend the bill to remove the loopholes for landfills that would have allowed them to avoid compliance. The bill now only contains funding opportunities to help landfills comply with the new rule and is waiting to be signed into law by the governor.

Colorado Right to Repair Rollback Defeated

Exemptions to Right to Repair (SB26-090) — DEFEATED!

Sponsors: Sen. John Carson, Sen. Marc Snyder, Rep. Anthony Harstook, Rep. Chad Clifford

SB26-090 would have weakened existing Right to Repair protections by exempting many types of servers, routers, and other “critical” IT equipment from repair requirements. Environmental advocates warned the bill would increase electronic waste, reduce consumer repair options, and drive up costs.

Eco-Cycle joined coalition partners, including the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), to oppose the bill and organize public support for repair rights. The bill was successfully defeated, protecting Colorado consumers’ ability to repair electronics and helping reduce unnecessary e-waste.

Additional Environmental and Recycling Bills Eco-Cycle Supported

In addition to the major bills above, Eco-Cycle successfully engaged on more than a dozen environmental and waste reduction bills during the 2026 Colorado legislative session, including: 

• HB26-1132: Practices to Support Pollinators. PASSED. Eco-Cycle staff testified in support of this bill which directs state agencies like the Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Department of Transportation to plant more native pollinator-friendly plants and to use more sustainable mowing and grazing practices.
• SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner Insurance Enterprise. PASSED. Eco-Cycle worked with champions to encourage newly built homes to have impact-resistant roofs to reduce tremendous hail-caused waste through this new Homeowner Insurance assistance program.
• Two plastic pollution reduction efforts, the Plastic Pollution Awareness Resolution (SJR26-022, READ IN SENATE) and SB26-016: Prohibit Discharge Preproduction Plastic Materials has been SIGNED INTO LAW.  Eco-Cycle testified in support of prohibiting the release of plastic pellets and other preproduction plastic materials into the environment (SB26-016), as well as developing a campaign for Plastic Pollution Awareness Week, July 12–18, 2026.
• HB26-1111: Pesticide Product Disposal & Container Recycling. PASSED. Eco-Cycle testified in support of this program that will protect our land and water and help farmers safely dispose of unused pesticides so that they can recycle the containers.

The final step is Governor Jared Polis’s signature. Once signed, these bills will officially become part of Colorado’s environmental and recycling policy framework—stay tuned for updates as these important wins are signed into law!

Community Action Helped Drive Environmental Wins

As Colorado continues moving toward a more sustainable, circular economy, Eco-Cycle will continue working with lawmakers, partner organizations, businesses, and community members to support practical solutions that reduce waste, increase recycling and composting, and protect the climate. 

Thank you to the thousands of community members who contacted legislators this session to support progress!