Gather your reusable bags, because single-use plastics are out. Starting January 1, polystyrene, or Styrofoam, to-go containers and plastic grocery bags will be banned in most large retail and food establishments statewide, including many grocery stores and restaurants.

The measures are part of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act passed in 2021. The first phase of the legislation went into effect one year ago, requiring businesses to charge 10 cents each for both paper and plastic bags. In 2024, plastic grocery bags will no longer be available, but paper bags will still be on hand for a 10 cent fee.

The statewide ban follows a local plastic bag ban in Fort Collins that went into effect in 2022 and makes Colorado one of a growing number of states imposing bans on plastic bags and Styrofoam to-go products.

A boon for the environment, with a catch
Shelie Miller, a professor of sustainability at the University of Michigan, said reducing disposable plastic waste is beneficial for the environment.

“We know that plastics do not readily break down in the environment, and so if those plastics end up escaping from our waste system, they can really cause havoc,” she said. “Marine life, birds, amphibians, you know, reptiles, will see little tiny bits of plastic and eat them.”