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Simply Sorted For Good.
DATA
According to Eco-Cycle’s research:Potential Recovery: Nearly two-thirds of the materials currently sent to the landfill in Boulder County could have been recovered (recycled or composted).Unrealized Value: This represents over 150,000 tons per year of lost resources.
Up to 25% of all items placed in recycling bins are actually contaminants.According to the EPA, as much as 25% of all recycling is contaminated and cannot be recycled.
Boulder - Data 2024-2025
Landfill: ~55%
Recycling: ~24%
Compostables: ~19%
Reuse: ~1%
OUR VISION
Success is a world where 'Waste' is a 19th-century concept, and 'Material' is the 21st-century reality.
IMPACT: BOULDER & BEYOND
The City of Boulder has built a world-class waste infrastructure. POUBELLE.AI is the Intelligence Layer that ensures the citizens use that infrastructure correctly. We move the needle from 50-60% to 85% by removing the friction of 'not knowing'.
🛡️
Save Machinery
We stop "tanglers" from breaking sorting machines.
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Pure Materials
We turn "trash" into high-quality bales that manufacturers actually want.
📉
Lower Costs
Accurate sorting saves the City of Boulder money on processing waste.
👁️
End Blind Spots
We provide the data needed to see exactly what is being thrown away.
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Boulder is the global epicenter of sustainability, powered by a pioneering Trash Tax that generates $1.8M annually to fund world-class infrastructure like CHaRM. As the city chases its "North Star" goal of 85% waste diversion, it faces a critical barrier: the human error of contamination. In 2026, the stakes have shifted from aspirational to measurable; with the Universal Zero Waste Ordinance now carrying fines of up to $2,000 for non-compliance, the pressure on businesses and residents has never been higher. POUBELLE.AI is the missing technological link Boulder needs to stay ahead—protecting its massive public investment by turning "wish-cycling" into 100% accurate material streams, ensuring the city doesn't just set the standard, but lives it. The City of Boulder has built a world-class waste infrastructure. POUBELLE.AI is the Intelligence Layer that ensures the citizens use that infrastructure correctly. We move the needle from 50-60% to 85% by removing the friction of 'not knowing'.
"Our mission is to be the bridge between the consumer who wants to help and the manufacturer who needs the material."
HOW
Take the Guesswork out of Garbage
Leveraging advanced Artificial Intelligence to provides instant, accurate waste disposal guidance.
Dispose Smarter: With a quick scan of any item, get real-time directions to the correct bin. Streamlining sustainability with cutting-edge technology.Always Current: Unlike static stickers or outdated training videos, POUBELLE.AI is updated weekly. We follow the 2023 composting changes and the evolution of sorting machinery in real-time.
Regain trust through simplicity. Our gamified WebApp makes sorting easy and engaging for everyone—from students to longtime residents.
ROADMAP
WIP
HISTORY
Eugène Poubelle — Paris, 1884The city is in crisis. Waste fills the streets, and public health is at a breaking point.Mr. Poubelle, Governor of Paris, changed history with a single decree. He put in place public waste collection and mandated every building owner to provide three specific containers for their tenants:The Organic Box: For perishable waste.
The Paper Box: For cloth and dry materials.
The Glass Box: For bottles and pottery.Sound familiar? He didn't just invent the trash can; he was the first in the world to put in place sorting.But that’s not all… his other legacy stands today 330 meters tall.
In 1887, Eugène Poubelle signed the Eiffel Tower’s construction authorization!
In 1894, he initiated the sewer system development to stop the cholera epidemic.
1970 | The First Earth Day & The "Mobius Loop"The environmental movement is born. Gary Anderson wins a contest to design the universal recycling symbol (the three chasing arrows), and the first "modern" curbside recycling programs appear in Missouri and New Jersey.
1990s | The Rise of Single-StreamTo make recycling easier, many U.S. cities switch to "Single-Stream" (one big blue bin). While participation goes up, accuracy goes down. Contamination becomes the #1 enemy of the recycling center.
Guillaume Poubelle — Boulder, 2026Same family, same vision…The stakes are now at an all-time high. With $2,000 fines for non-compliance and a goal of 85% diversion, we can no longer rely on "wish-cycling."“Eugène gave us the bins and the vision for sorting. In 2026, POUBELLE.AI finally gives us the accuracy to make that vision a reality.”As Eugene Poubelle’s direct descendant, I carry the torch that he lit 140 years ago.Our Mission: Helping people, protecting the cities, and the planet.
Now powered by the intelligence of our time.
PARTNERS
WIP
Contact
637 S Broadway Street, Suite B141
Boulder, CO 80305[email protected]