BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) – Boulder has reached a new waste diversion milestone, keeping 53% of citywide waste out of the landfill in 2020, city officials announced on Thursday.

The waste is diverted by recycling, composting and reusing stuff that used to be headed to the landfill. Single family homes lead the way with almost 60% of waste rerouted from the landfill, according to a city press release.

“The recently released data signals a robust community commitment to achieving zero waste,” said Sustainability Data and Policy Analyst Lauren Tremblay. “We applaud our community’s efforts in making meaningful progress toward realizing this key climate goal.”

Waste diversion is up 3% from 2019, with an 8% decrease in waste sent and a 3% decrease in total waste generated, according to the data.

About 52% of city business waste is diverted, with multifamily homes coming in next at 47%.

The Eco-Cycle initiative provides targeted programs for multifamily homes, including education and easy access to composting and recycling in apartments and townhomes.

“It is incredibly encouraging and speaks greatly of our community that, even in these difficult times, we still saw an increase in waste diversion rates across all sectors,” said Tremblay.