Denver City Council To Vote On Plastic Bag Fee Next Week

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DENVER (CBS4) - Denver City Council is expected to vote next week on a proposed plastic bag fee. The ordinance would charge shoppers 10 cents for each plastic or paper bag used at retail stores.

(credit: AP)

The proposal aims to encourage people to bring their own reusable bags and reduce the amount of plastic used in stores. The Denver City Council unanimously passed the ordinance on the first reading earlier this month.

Several cities in Colorado have similar ordinances, including Boulder and Breckenridge.

Plastic bags (credit: CBS)

Under the proposal, The store will keep $.04 of the fee and the city will receive $.06 of the fee which will be used for education, enforcement, waste reduction efforts and free reusable bag giveaways. If you bring your own bags, you will not pay a fee.

The City of Boulder is considering a ban on disposable grocery bags. (credit: CBS)

People in Denver use up to 250 million bags per year and only up to 5% are recycled. The rest end up in the waste system.

(credit: CBS)

If passed, the fee is expected to go into effect on July 1, 2020 at all of Denver's retail stores including grocers, hardware, convenience, drug and department stores. The fee will not apply to restaurants.