Tee Cee’s Tip

DEAR TEE CEE >> I read your article last week about the bans on polystyrene and single-use plastic bags, and I’m happy to hear about this new law and its positive environmental impacts. I want to spread the word so people are on board like me. You talked about enforcement, but can you provide details as to why this bill was passed?

Thanks,

— Sofia

DEAR SOFIA >> I’m so glad you asked. In case others missed it: under the new Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (PPRA), Colorado retail food establishments are prohibited from distributing polystyrene foam containers, commonly referred to as Styrofoam®, due to their detrimental environmental and health impacts. According to the Children’s Environmental Health Network, more than 50 chemical byproducts are released during the manufacturing of polystyrene foam, and some are known carcinogens that can easily leach into whatever the container is holding — like, say, hot food or beverages.

Want some hot soup in a foam container? Personally, it’s a hard pass. This material is not recyclable, it’s the most common plastic found as litter, and it breaks down into microplastics that can kill wildlife if ingested. There are plenty of safer and more sustainable alternatives to foam to-go containers and cups, so to protect human health and the environment, the state has prohibited the use of polystyrene foam for these purposes.

Additionally, under the PPRA, large retailers are now restricted from distributing single-use plastic checkout bags, and a fee of $0.10 is imposed on single-use paper bags. Plastic bags are predominantly made from natural gasses, a finite natural resource with an extraction process that has significant climate impacts, while paper bags are often made from old-growth trees.

The sheer volume of disposable bags creates an enormous — yet preventable — environmental impact. According to the Colorado Public Interest Research

Group (COPIRG), an estimated 4.6 million single-use plastic bags are used daily in Colorado. Phasing out singleuse plastic checkout bags and placing a small fee on paper checkout bags is a policy solution that has proven to reduce plastic pollution.

You’re not alone in your excitement about this bill! According to a recent Oceana poll, 84% of American voters support increasing the use of reusable packaging and food serviceware, 80% support requiring companies to reduce their single-use plastic packaging and food serviceware, and 81% support shifting the cost of cleaning up plastic pollution from taxpayers to the businesses that make it.

This bill is expected to help businesses save money by reducing needless single-use materials. According to a recent report by Upstream, under the PPRA, a small business is expected to: save $3,000 to $22,000 in materials cost, eliminate 1,300 to 2,200 pounds of waste, and reduce 110,000 to 225,000 packaging items annually.

Now, go spread the word about this win for Coloradans everywhere! It’s a great way to celebrate Earth Day!

— Tee Cee