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Single-Use Bag Fee

Did you know Coloradans use an estimated 4.6 million single-use plastic bags every day? Plastic bags are produced from non-renewable resources and are very difficult to recycle. A new statewide law in Colorado, the “Plastic Pollution Reduction Act,” will impose a 10-cent fee for each single-use bag on Jan. 1, 2023. You can avoid the fee by bringing your own reusable bags to the store.

Colorado Law - Plastic Pollution Reduction Act

Jan. 1, 2023: a new Colorado law will require businesses with more than three locations in Colorado to impose a 10-cent fee on single-use plastic and paper bags

Jan. 1, 2024: Colorado law will ban single-use plastic bags at most stores and expanded polystyrene foam takeout containers (more commonly known as Styrofoam) at restaurants

Colorado Carryout Bag Fee Return Form

Download the Colorado Carryout Bag Fee Return Form and mail with payment to:

AR - Finance Department
Town of Estes Park
PO Box 1200
Estes Park, CO 80517

Carryout Bag Fee Return Instructions

  1. Complete the Colorado Carryout Bag Fee Return Form. (The Administrative Fee and the Payable Fee are automatically calculated for you.)
  2. Submit the form with payment to:
     
    AR - Finance Department
    Town of Estes Park
    PO Box 1200
    Estes Park CO 80517

    Or email to kjohnson@estes.org

Remit Bag Fee Electronically

Payments can be made by credit card. A processing fee will apply.

Single-Use Bag Fee FAQs

  • Grocery stores and supermarkets
  • Convenience stores
  • Liquor stores
  • Retailers
  • Other stores that provide plastic bags
  • Including any self-checkout and delivery services

  • Stores operating only in Colorado, with three or fewer locations
  • Restaurants

A single-use bag means a bag that is not reusable and is destined for our local landfill or recycling process. The bag fee is only on single-use bags distributed to customers at the point of sale, and the bag ban taking effect in 2024 is only on single-use plastic bags. The fee and ban do not include reusable bags that may be provided by the store or any bag brought in by the customer to be used.

Single-use bag does not include:

  • Bags used by consumers inside stores to:
    • Package bulk items, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, or small hardware items
    • Contain or wrap frozen foods, meat, or fish
    • Contain or wrap flowers, potted plants, or other items where dampness may be a problem
    • Contain unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods
  • A non-handled bag used to protect a purchased item from damaging or contaminating other purchased items when placed in a recyclable paper bag or reusable bag
  • Bags provided by pharmacists to contain prescription drugs
  • Newspaper bags, door-hanger bags, laundry-dry cleaning bags, or bags sold in packages containing multiple bags for uses such as food storage, garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags

The statewide single-use bag fee takes effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

The fee is ten cents ($0.10) per plastic or paper bag.

  • All of the businesses that must follow the single-use bag fee in 2023 must follow the plastic bag ban as well in 2024
  • Including any self-checkout and delivery services
  • Restaurants and other retail food establishments (for Styrofoam)

Per a Colorado law passed in 2021, stores and retail food establishments, with more than 3 locations in Colorado, will be required to charge customers a $0.10 fee for each single-use plastic and paper bag used at the point of sale starting on January 1, 2023. Businesses will retain four cents of the fee to cover the costs of administration and compliance while six cents is to be remitted to the local government on a quarterly basis.

For applicable businesses within town limits, the returns will be submitted to the Town of Estes Park at least on a quarterly basis. A monthly option is also provided for businesses who wish to submit on a more frequent basis, such as for businesses that file monthly sales tax returns.

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