Six months after launching Colorado’s first dedicated recycling program for automotive and petroleum product containers on March 11, Interchange 360, a non-profit, industry-led, Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), has built a growing collection and recycling network across Colorado from the ground up, establishing 10 Return Collection Facilities (RCFs), four transportation partners and two processors across the state and diverting approximately 2,500 pounds of empty automotive containers for recycling.
Working in collaboration with stakeholders across the state, Interchange 360 has established resilient recycling infrastructure and a secure, specialized system for empty containers that hold products such as motor oil, antifreeze, diesel exhaust fluid and automotive aerosols. With the network continuing to expand, the organization is now launching a statewide education and outreach campaign to help Coloradans understand how and where to safely and responsibly recycle these containers.
The producer-funded program, developed under Colorado’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law (HB22-1355 Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling Act), has created a dedicated system for the collection and recycling of empty petroleum, lubricant and automotive containers. Unlike typical curbside packaging, these containers often contain residual petroleum products and require specialized handling, safety protocols and downstream processing. As a result, they must be managed through a dedicated system designed specifically for the automotive and petroleum sector.
“Building a new recycling system from the ground up takes tremendous collaboration,” said David Lawes, CEO of Interchange 360. “Over the past six months, our team has worked closely with collection facilities, transporters, processors and stakeholders across Colorado to put the infrastructure in place to safely collect and recycle these materials. We’ve made significant progress in a short period of time, and as we continue to expand the network, our focus is now on making sure Coloradans know these containers are recyclable, how to prepare them properly and where to take them.”
Interchange 360’s growing network brings together Return Collection Facilities (RCFs), transportation partners and processors to support the collection, transportation and recycling of automotive and petroleum product containers across Colorado. Transportation and processing partners include Janus Enterprises (Oilpkup), RPM eco, Driven Plastics, Full Time Trucking, Safety Kleen and iRecycleHere, with additional collection locations and service providers being added throughout 2026.
Janus Enterprises (Oilpkup), Interchange 360’s first dedicated in-state processor in Colorado, brings local expertise to the work of moving material from collection through recycling. “We’re proud to be part of Interchange 360’s Colorado program and to support a recycling solution for automotive containers that need a dedicated approach,” said Robert Esser, Janus Enterprises. “As a Colorado-based family business, we’re excited to help expand responsible processing options for communities, producers and service providers across the state.”