In the years Denverite has asked our (lovely) readers for questions about the city, one curiosity has constantly pinged our inbox: Are the things we recycle actually being recycled?

“Does it really get recycled or just put in the trash?” one person wrote.

“What ACTUALLY gets recycled?” asked another.

“Is it real?” someone existentially cried out.

We decided to go see for ourselves — and we invited a few of our inquisitive readers to come along so they could ask their questions directly.

It was a good moment to check in with our local rubbish collectors. A surge of holiday garbage is on the horizon, and a new law will soon expand access to this system across Colorado.

Take a journey with us to a waystation on the road to reuse.

Welcome to the MRF.

Denver’s Department of Transportati

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