Colorado’s Plastic Bag Law 

At the start of January 1st stores were supposed to charge 10 cents per bag their shoppers used. They have an option of either a paper bag or a one-time-use plastic bag. By the year 2024, plastic bags will be banned from Colorado and you will have to have either a reusable bag or pay 10 cents per paper bag the store provides. The new law will allow municipalities with existing laws to charge more for bags if the fees are already higher. Some cities have already seen a reduction in disposable bags by about 85%. People who are in federal or state food assistance programs don't have to pay the bag fees as long as they can prove that they are enrolled in one of those programs. Businesses are required to send 60% of the bag-fee revenue they collect to the municipality they operate in. If the business is within an unincorporated part of the country, the money will be sent to the country. Local governments will be required to spend the money on Waste-diversion programs, including outreach and education. As well as bag-fee enforcement costs. The remaining 40% of the bag-fee money will be kept by the businesses. It’s not just plastic bags that are going away. The 2021 bill also bans styrofoam across the state starting in 2024. If businesses don’t comply with this new law they will be fined $500 for the second violation and $1,000 for the third. Palisade student Aiden Bain stated, “I'm not sure how I feel about this new law, but I think it's going to make us have less pollution in our state. It’s a step forward.”