Statewide carryout bag fee begins Jan. 1

Retail stores in Colorado will be required to collect a disposable carryout bag fee beginning Jan. 1, according to a state law passed last year, and towns or cities can charge more if they choose.

Several area cities, concerned about plastic pollution in waterways and natural areas, already have bag-fee ordinances on the books. Boulder, for example, passed its version in 2013 and is considering raising its fee to 20 cents, while Fort Collins followed in May of this year with a 10-cent fee of its own after voters approved the measure in 2021.

Some major retailers have taken…