For small-scale generators of recyclable materials in rural or mountain communities throughout Colorado
The Circular Transportation Network (CTN) is a project led and supported by the Circular Economy Development Center to address rural recycling transportation challenges. The goal of this program is to collect recyclable materials that are at risk of going to landfill due to challenges faced by small-scale generators: small accumulations of materials, prohibitive transportation costs and/or lack of access to hauling. Materials will be picked up at no cost. Generators will not be paid for materials.
Routes
CTN, in collaboration with Front Range Transload and B. Kirkland Trucking, will collect recyclable materials from generators along several routes throughout the state. Routes run at varying intervals and have some flexibility. Contact CEDC staff to inquire whether a truck could be routed through your area.
Acceptable Materials
Aluminum cans
Cardboard (OCC)
Cartons
Down-filled products (i.e. jackets, sleeping bags, comforters. No synthetic fill.)
Paperboard
Office paper (White paper, not shredded)
Paper (Mixed, not shredded)
Plastic film (HDPE and LDPE)*
Plastics #1 (PET)
Plastics #2 (HDPE)
Plastics #3 (PVC)
Plastics #4 (LDPE)
Plastics #5 (PP)
Plastics #6 (PS)
Plastics #7 (Other- No PLA)
To Participate
1. Sign up to join the network (Coming soon!)
Once registered with CTN, you can make requests to have your materials picked up.
2. Collect materials
Consult the Acceptable Materials list to assure that your materials are eligible for pickup.
Materials must be clean, source separated, and free of hazardous materials such as pesticide and chemical residues.
At the time of pick up, all materials must be on pallets in gaylords, super sacks and/or bales. If you need help getting super sacks or pallets, contact CTN. We may be able to connect you with a source.
3. Submit a material pick-up request form (Coming soon!)
Requests will be reviewed for approval by program staff and end-market entities.
Note that submitting a form does not guarantee that materials will be qualified or added to a route. All materials must pass CTN’s end-market qualification process prior to approval. To qualify, materials must be on the list of accepted materials, meet the minimum quantity, have less than 5% contamination, and be clean, source separated and free of hazardous materials.
4. Schedule a pick up
If your request is approved, a program representative will be in touch to schedule your pickup.
More About the Program
CTN is a pilot project that was developed by the CEDC in partnership with Front Range Transload and B. Kirkland Trucking and funded through the Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise Fund (C3). This proof-of-concept program utilizes trucks that deliver loads to communities throughout the state. Instead of returning to the Front Range empty, trucks will stop in communities along the way to backhaul recyclable materials to a transload facility in Pueblo where they will be aggregated, baled and sent to local and regional end-markets. There is no cost to collect the materials nor will the program pay for materials. While the material will be sold to end-markets, the goal will be to simply offset the cost of their transport.
The transload facility in Pueblo is not a MRF and cannot sort materials. Therefore, for the program to be successful, it is paramount that collection network partners provide clean streams of materials. Trucks will run routes on regular delivery schedules but will not run as frequently as dedicated trash haulers. It is important for CTN participants to understand that pickups will be scheduled in as timely a manner as possible, but there may be some delay between the pick-up request date and the actual pickup date. The CTN network will run as a program of the CEDC for the first year and will then be turned over to Front Range Transload to operate on a continuing basis.