Lafayette businesses and apartment complexes can apply for rebates to help reduce waste, following Lafayette City Council’s approval to expand on existing recycling and waste reduction incentives.

Last year, the council approved an ordinance requiring businesses, apartments and city-permitted events to subscribe to recycling services, ensure collection of recycling and fill out an annual survey about the recycling program.

The program is part of an intergovernmental agreement with Boulder County.

The council on Tuesday unanimously approved two sustainability initiatives: for businesses and apartment complexes to receive a rebate when starting a new recycling service as well as a rebate for businesses purchasing indoor garbage, recycling and compost containers.

The waste reduction program offers a $1,150 rebate to businesses and apartment complexes starting a recycling service. Elizabeth Bocon, Lafayette’s sustainability director, said during the Tuesday city council meeting that the program has been very successful, with over 20 businesses in the waitlist for the rebate, according to Bocon.

Bocon recommended the city continue and expand the rebate program for the 2025 year given the high demand. The amended intergovernmental agreement amount would allow for 30 new businesses to take advantage of the rebate.

The funding for the 2025 program would be provided by state bag fee revenue. (At the start of 2024, a state law prohibited stores from providing single-use plastic carryout bags but allowed recycled paper carryout bags for a 10-cent-per-bag cost — or a higher fee imposed by the municipality or county where the store is located, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue’s website.)

The Lafayette program “would remove any barriers for businesses who want to implement recycling, making it easy and convenient for them to implement,” Bocon said.According to city materials, Lafayette will pay Boulder County about $50,000 to administer the rebates for new recycling services.

The city also currently offers rebates for reusable items through an intergovernmental agreement with Partners for a Clean Environment, a Boulder County Office of Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience service. The annual incentive covers up to 50% of the cost for businesses to transition into using reusable items, like dishes or takeaway containers, for a maximum of $1,000.

Jenn Dingman, commercial sustainability advisor for Lafayette and Louisville at Partners for a Clean Environment, said the rebate for businesses to switch to reusable items is to avoid creating waste altogether. Dingman said the best action is to not create any waste at all.

“Reusing is the gold standard,” Dingman said.

The incentive helps cover the cost of any reusable program business owners come up with to avoid creating waste, like a refillable dog treat station at a pet store to avoid plastic waste or reusable cups at a diner, Dingman said.

Bocon said the enhanced waste reduction program would also give business a new $330 rebate for acquiring indoor garbage, recycling and compost containers. The $330 rebate is meant to offset the cost of acquiring the containers.

Lafayette will pay $10,000 annually to Partners for a Clean Environment to administer the rebate regarding indoor garbage, recycling and compost, as well as provide education on the rebate to local businesses.