Most Colorado businesses and municipalities don’t realize there’s grant funding available specifically for recycling equipment and infrastructure. The Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) program — administered through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) — has provided millions of dollars in grant funding to help Colorado organizations build and expand recycling programs.
If you’ve been putting off recycling equipment because of the upfront cost, RREO funding may be the answer. And Altitude Recycling can help you navigate the process.
What Is the RREO Grant Program?
The Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity program is a Colorado state grant program funded through a portion of the state’s solid waste fees. Its purpose is to reduce the amount of material going to Colorado landfills by supporting recycling infrastructure — including the equipment needed to collect, process, and bale recyclable materials.
RREO grants are available to a range of applicants including:
- Local governments and municipalities
- Businesses and commercial operations
- Nonprofits
- Recycling facilities and MRFs
- Schools and institutions
Grant funding can be used for equipment purchases — including balers, compactors, shredders, and other recycling infrastructure — as well as education and outreach programs, and recycling collection services.
What Equipment Qualifies?
RREO grants can fund the recycling equipment your operation needs to process and manage materials that would otherwise go to a landfill. Qualifying equipment typically includes:
Balers — Vertical and horizontal balers for processing cardboard, paper, plastic, and other recyclables into dense, marketable bales.
Compactors — Stationary and self-contained compactors for reducing volume on mixed waste and recyclables.
Shredders — Industrial shredders for processing material volume and preparing recyclables for downstream processing.
Conveyors & Sorting Equipment — Infeed conveyors, sorting lines, and processing equipment for facilities handling mixed recyclables.
If you’re not sure whether the equipment you need qualifies, that’s exactly the kind of question Altitude Recycling can help you answer.
How Altitude Recycling Helps With RREO Grants
Most equipment dealers sell you a machine and walk away. We go further.
Tyler, Altitude Recycling’s founder, has worked directly with Colorado businesses and organizations to help them access RREO grant funding for recycling equipment. That means:
Identifying the right equipment for your application — Grant applications require you to specify the equipment you’re requesting funding for. We help you identify the right machine for your volume, material, and facility — and document why that equipment fits the program’s objectives.
Understanding program requirements — RREO grants come with eligibility requirements, documentation needs, and reporting obligations. We help you understand what’s required before you apply so there are no surprises.
Matching grant funding to the right equipment — Grant funding doesn’t always cover 100% of equipment cost. We help you think through the full picture — what the grant covers, what you’d need to contribute, and whether rental or lease-to-own makes sense for the gap.
Ongoing support after the award — Once you have your equipment, we’re still here — for service, wire supply, and anything else your recycling program needs.
How to Get Started
RREO grants are competitive — applications are reviewed on a rolling or annual basis depending on the funding cycle, and well-prepared applications have a significant advantage. The sooner you start, the better position you’re in.
Step 1: Call us and tell us about your operation — what you’re recycling, your volume, your facility, and what equipment you think you need.
Step 2: We’ll help you identify the right equipment and put together the documentation you need for your application.
Step 3: Submit your application to CDPHE through the RREO program. We’ll support you through the process.
Step 4: Once awarded, we supply and install your equipment — and support it for the long term.
Don’t Leave Grant Money on the Table
Colorado has committed significant resources to expanding recycling infrastructure — and that funding is available to businesses and organizations that take the time to apply. Many eligible operations never do, simply because they don’t know the program exists or don’t know where to start.
If you’re a Colorado business, municipality, nonprofit, or institution generating recyclable material and considering equipment, this program is worth a conversation.
Call: 720-545-5348
Email: sales@altituderecycling.com
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for RREO grants in Colorado?
Local governments, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and recycling facilities operating in Colorado. Eligibility details and priorities shift by funding cycle — call us and we’ll help you determine whether your operation qualifies.
How much funding is available through RREO?
Grant amounts vary by project and funding cycle. CDPHE has historically awarded grants ranging from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand for larger infrastructure projects. Equipment grants for individual businesses typically fall in a range that can meaningfully offset or fully cover the cost of a vertical or horizontal baler.
Can grant funding cover a used baler?
Grant programs typically require equipment to meet certain standards. We can help you identify whether a specific used machine qualifies or whether new equipment is the better path for a grant application.
Does Altitude Recycling charge for grant assistance?
No — helping you identify the right equipment and navigate the funding process is part of how we do business. We’re invested in your program succeeding because your long-term success is our long-term relationship.
What if I’m not in Colorado?
Several states in our service area have similar grant and incentive programs for recycling equipment. Call us and we’ll help you identify what’s available in your state.
Altitude Recycling Equipment — Aurora, CO
Recycling Balers, Baling Wire, Equipment Rentals & Service Since 2010
Serving CO, WY, UT, NE, KS, AZ & NM — Equipment & Wire Available Nationwide
720-545-5348 | sales@altituderecycling.com