Grand Junction’s new regional recycling facility will enter its final construction phase in August as installation of its advanced sorting equipment begins, putting the nearly $29 million project on track to open by the end of the year.

The Grand Junction City Council unanimously approved a $3.24 million change order Wednesday, authorizing KR Construction Group to complete Phase Two of the city’s new Materials Recovery Facility, the final major construction package before the facility begins operations.  

Grand Junction General Services Director Jerod Timothy said the city’s total investment now stands at approximately $28.8 million, below the $32.8 million estimate prepared during a 2023 feasibility study.

Timothy noted the earlier estimate did not include several components ultimately incorporated into the project, including land acquisition, permitting, rolling stock and a public outreach and education center. After several years of construction inflation, the original estimate would equate to roughly $37 million to $38 million today, he said.

Construction is about 65 percent complete, with demolition, structural modifications, utility relocations and equipment foundations already finished. The next milestone comes Aug. 3, when AI-assisted sorting equipment is scheduled to begin arriving for installation. Testing and commissioning will continue through the fall before the facility opens by year’s end.

The project includes approximately $11.2 million in advanced sorting and processing equipment and is designed to process recyclable materials from throughout Western Colorado and eastern Utah.  

Phase Two will complete the administrative offices, employee locker rooms, conference room, public-education center, observation mezzanine, loading docks and the remaining mechanical and electrical systems. Large viewing windows overlooking the processing floor will allow school groups, community organizations and visitors to watch recyclable materials move through the automated sorting system.

Timothy said HDR Engineering & Consulting estimated the Phase Two work would cost about $4.76 million, while KR Construction submitted a proposal of $3.24 million, roughly $1.52 million less than the engineer’s estimate.

Council members also discussed the city’s partnership with Bruin Waste Management, which will operate the facility and how the facility receives recyclable materials from other companies. 

“This is not restricted to just recycling that comes in Bruin trucks,” Stout said. “Other recycling partners, other municipalities could bring to this facility as well. We specifically built this as a regional materials-recovery facility.”

Timothy said Bruin already has agreements with communities, including Ouray, Telluride and Gunnison, and the facility will be available to other municipalities, private haulers and residents.

He said demand is evident.

“I received a call from one of those large haulers just the other day,” Timothy said. “He had heard that the facility was open in August, and he’s like, ‘Tell me it’s true, tell me it’s true.’”

The highly automated facility is expected to initially employ 10 to 12 workers, with staffing likely doubling as operations expand to two shifts. Timothy said the project could spur additional hauling jobs and eventually attract manufacturers that use recycled materials.

How is it funded? 

The facility’s long-term funding model is tied to Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling, a law passed in 2022 that shifts the cost of recycling from local governments to the companies that produce packaging and paper products. Under the law, manufacturers pay fees that help fund recycling collection, processing and infrastructure, including facilities such as Grand Junction’s regional Materials Recovery Facility.

During debate over the legislation, groups such as the American Forest & Paper Association, which represents paper and packaging manufacturers, opposed the bill and warned that the new costs could ultimately be passed on to consumers. In urging Gov. Jared Polis to veto the measure, the association wrote, “EPR could shift the economic burden of new recycling regulations from municipalities to Coloradans. These added costs would especially hurt small businesses and low-income households.”

The legislation was approved, including a provision requiring the state to evaluate its impact on consumer prices beginning in 2028 and every three years thereafter.

The council approved the Phase Two contract amendment on a 7-0 vote.