The statewide plastic bag ban in Colorado, which went into effect in 2024, is part of a broader effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. In 2023, Boulder-based Eco-Cycle estimated that the state used 1.5 billion fewer plastic bags than the previous year, and with the ban now in place, the reduction is expected to be even higher. Despite some initial resistance, including complaints from customers about the quality of paper bags, many have adjusted by bringing reusable bags to avoid a ten-cent fee for each paper bag.
While some people question the environmental impact of the ban, Eco-Cycle believes it is already showing positive results. For example, Breckenridge has reported almost no plastic bags in its litter cleanup efforts since the ban took effect. In addition to the plastic bag ban, Colorado has also banned polystyrene takeout containers and allowed local governments to impose further restrictions on single-use plastics, such as Breckenridge’s ban on plastic water bottles under one gallon.
Eco-Cycle’s Senior Policy & Research Associate, Rachel Setzke, sees these changes as a long-term investment in reducing plastic waste. She suggests that as people become more accustomed to using reusable shopping bags, they may extend this behavior to other areas, such as bringing reusable mugs to coffee shops or avoiding single-use utensils at fast food establishments.