Skip to Content

Colorado House passes bill to ban plastic bags

PLASTIC BAGS VO .00_00_21_21.Still001

DENVER (KRDO) -- A bill to ban certain single-use plastics is moving forward in the Colorado Legislature. It includes things like plastic bags at grocery stores and styrofoam containers often used for takeout orders at restaurants.

If this bill is signed into law, stores would only be allowed to use recycled paper carryout bags, and customers would have to pay 10 cents for each bag they use or bring their own.

The money from those bag fees would go to recycling programs. Stores using plastic bags and styrofoam containers would be able to use up their inventory before making the switch.

Democratic Representative Alex Valdez is one of the sponsors of the bill, he says plastic pollution is a crisis in our state and country and this bill is a step towards helping the environment. He also raised concerns about plastic pollution leading to microplastics that end up in our food.

Democratic Representative Lisa Cutter also sponsors the bill and says the issue is too big to fix with recycling.

But it's not all smooth sailing for the bill. Even though it passed the house, Republican Representative Colin Larson voted against the measure.

Larson said, "In a year where restaurants have been absolutely devastated because of Covid and everything else going on to raise their cost of doing business by buying more expensive takeout material just really seems tone-deaf."

The bill passed the house on Wednesday by a 40 to 23 vote, showing a lean towards support of the measure. Now it's heading to the senate. If approved, it would go into effect in September of next year.

Article Topic Follows: Top Stories

Jump to comments ↓

Author Profile Photo

Kolby Crossley

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content