Breckenridge Debates Plastic Bag Ban

The bag fee program was suspended in the month of March this year.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Breckenridge Town Council has reached an agreement to ban plastic bags instead of reinstating plastic bag fee which was continued during the pandemic. The members came to an agreement during the council work session held on Tuesday, September 8^th.

The Council had introduced the disposable bag ordinance in 2013, thereby imposing a 10-cent fee for disposable plastic and paper bags. The bag fee program was suspended in the month of March this year.

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According to Sustainability Coordinator Jessie Burley, the fee had initially resulted in reduction in number of bags given out. However, the impact has been less over time. Council members agreed that instead of re-imposing bag fee, the stores should eliminate use of plastic bags. Instead, they must be allowed to use only paper bags made from 40% recycled content, for which customers should be charges 10 cents per bag. Some members argued that the ban should start only at the end of next summer, so as to give shops enough time to get rid of their stock of bags.

Meantime, Town attorney Tim Berry argued that the state statute would prevent a ban on plastic bags. However, members pointed out that many communities including Aspen and Telluride have implemented ban, despite the statute.

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