Colorado is implementing widespread restrictions on plastic bags and polystyrene – moves that could matter for the promotional products industry.

On Tuesday, July 6, Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a bill that bans single-use plastic bags and polystyrene products in many stores and restaurants. 

The legislation can potentially create opportunities to sell more branded reusable alternatives like tote bags. That could benefit promotional products distributors. Still, things can be more complicated than that, as costs may go up for retailers, which could result in them having less money for marketing purposes.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs a new law to ban single-use plastic bags and polystyrene in most retail settings in the next few years. Bill also adds new bag fee and allows local governments to set their own plastics regulations above and beyond the state’s. pic.twitter.com/f5q0gaYF4o

— Alex Burness (@alex_burness) July 6, 2021

Under Colorado’s legislation, stores can use single-use plastic bags or a recycled paper bag for a 10-cent fee until Jan. 1, 2024. After that date, stores can only provide recycled paper bags. Meanwhile, the polystyrene ban takes effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

There are exceptions to the restrictions. Small stores, which Colorado’s bill defines as any business with three or fewer locations in the state that aren’t chains with locations outside the state, are exempt from the ban. They can continue to use plastic bags if they aren’t prohibited by their municipality.

Come 2023, Colorado municipalities will be empowered to craft their own legislation regulating plastic bags and polystyrene. Those regulations could potentially be stricter than the state’s rules. Retailers are opposed to this local control element, as they say it can create significant compliance headaches.

The impetus for the bans and restrictions is environmental. Ban proponents say plastic bags and polystyrene cause litter and pollution, fouling habitats, infesting waterways and presenting a danger to wildlife which can choke on or become caught in the disposables. Recent research shows that plastic pollution in the ocean is increasing.

The war on plastic has been raging for years now. Since 2016, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington have banned single-use plastic bags. Major cities with such bans include Boston, Chicago and Seattle.