The Town of Wellington is helping inform residents and businesses about the Colorado Carryout Bag Fee, effective January 1, 2023. The bag fee is a result of House Bill 21-1162, which states the following:
Between January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, a store may furnish a recycled paper carryout bag or a single-use plastic carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale if the customer pays a fee of 10 cents per bag. On and after January 1, 2024, a store may furnish only a recycled
paper carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale at a fee of 10 cents per bag.
Beginning April 1, 2024, and continuing on a quarterly basis thereafter, stores located in the Town must remit 60% of the carryout bag fee revenues to the Town and may retain the remaining 40% of the carryout bag fee revenues.
The carryout bag fee does not apply to a customer that provides evidence to the store that the customer is a participant in a federal or state food assistance program. The carryout bag fee also does not apply to materials used in packaging pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, dietary supplements, or any equipment or materials used to manufacture pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, or dietary supplements.
Exceptions for the plastic bag ban have been made for restaurants and small stores that operate solely in Colorado and have three or fewer locations.