Denver’s Waste No More Ordinance Takes Effect September 2026
Starting September 1, 2026, Denver’s Waste No More ordinance will require large buildings and businesses to separate food scraps and organic waste from regular trash. This is the biggest change to Denver’s waste rules in decades — and it affects apartment buildings, restaurants, grocery stores, and commercial properties across the city.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who Does the Waste No More Law Affect?
The ordinance rolls out in phases:
Phase 1 — September 2026
- Apartment buildings with 50+ units
- Restaurants and food service businesses
- Grocery stores and supermarkets
- Hotels with 100+ rooms
- Event venues hosting 500+ attendees
Phase 2 — 2027-2028
- Apartment buildings with 25+ units
- Office buildings over 50,000 sq ft
- Smaller commercial food generators
Phase 3 — 2029+
- Smaller apartment buildings (8+ units)
- Additional commercial properties
Single-family homes are not affected by the mandate (though Denver encourages voluntary composting through the curbside program).
What the Law Requires
Affected properties must:
- Provide composting bins alongside trash and recycling
- Contract with a licensed hauler for organic waste collection
- Educate tenants and employees about composting requirements
- Keep records of waste diversion for city inspection
What counts as organic waste:
- Food scraps (fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, coffee grounds)
- Food-soiled paper (napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes)
- Yard waste (leaves, grass, small branches)
What Does This Mean for Property Managers?
If you manage an apartment building with 50+ units, you need to start planning now:
- Bin infrastructure — You’ll need compost bins in trash rooms or common areas. Budget $500-$2,000+ for bins and signage depending on building size.
- Hauler contract — Contact waste haulers that offer organic collection. Expect $200-$500/month depending on volume and pickup frequency.
- Tenant communication — Distribute instructions, post signage, and plan for Q&A sessions. Contamination (non-compostable items in compost bins) is the #1 challenge.
- Trash room cleanout — Many buildings need to reorganize or expand their trash rooms to fit a third bin type. This often means clearing out stored junk, old furniture, and debris that’s accumulated over the years.
Need to clear out your building’s trash room, storage areas, or common spaces to make room for composting infrastructure? Call Junk Same Day at (303) 324-6014. We work with property managers across Denver to handle building cleanouts quickly and affordably.
What Does This Mean for Restaurants?
Denver restaurants generate an estimated 40% of the city’s food waste. Under Waste No More:
- Kitchen composting stations — Train staff to separate food scraps during prep and plate scraping
- Dumpster area changes — You’ll need a dedicated compost dumpster alongside trash and recycling
- Hauler coordination — Organic waste pickup must be frequent enough to prevent odor (minimum weekly in summer)
Many restaurants use this transition as an opportunity to do a deep cleanout of back-of-house areas, storage rooms, and alley spaces. Old equipment, broken furniture, and accumulated junk often need to go before new waste infrastructure can be installed.
Denver’s Composting Options for Homeowners
While single-family homes aren’t required to compost, Denver offers two voluntary programs:
Curbside Composting
- Cost: $9.75/month (added to your Denver trash bill)
- What’s included: 65-gallon bin, weekly curbside pickup
- Accepted: Food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard waste
- Sign up: Through Denver’s Recycle & Compost website
Drop-Off Composting
- Cost: Free
- Locations: Several Denver drop-off sites accept food scraps
- Best for: Residents who don’t generate enough waste for weekly pickup
How This Connects to Junk Removal
The Waste No More rollout is driving demand for:
- Building cleanouts — Property managers clearing storage rooms and trash areas for new infrastructure
- Restaurant cleanouts — Back-of-house reorganization before new waste stations go in
- Old dumpster enclosure cleanup — Clearing space for additional containers
- General decluttering — The ordinance has many Denver residents rethinking their relationship with waste and clutter
At Junk Same Day, we recycle and donate over 60% of what we pick up through our GreenHaul™ program. We’ve been practicing responsible waste diversion since day one — the same principles Denver is now making citywide policy.
Key Dates to Remember
- Now – August 2026: Planning period. Set up infrastructure, train staff, contract haulers.
- September 1, 2026: Phase 1 enforcement begins for large buildings and restaurants.
- 2027: Phase 2 expands to mid-size buildings.
- 2029: Phase 3 covers smaller properties.
Questions About Building Cleanouts?
If you’re a property manager preparing for Waste No More and need to clear out space for composting infrastructure, call (303) 324-6014 or book online. We offer same-day commercial cleanouts across the Denver metro.
