According to the most recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), less than 10% of plastic is actually recycled in the U.S. And plastic production is on the rise. One recent study found that more plastic has been produced in the past 20 years than in the entire second half of the 20th century.

While waste reduction is a worldwide issue, Colorado has set some local goals—and it's failing to reach them. According to a report published at the end of 2021, “Colorado’s statewide recycling and composting rate was just 15%, which is less than half the national recycling and composting rate of 32%. The recycling rate for plastics was even worse than the state average, with only 9% of plastic containers and packaging recycled statewide. In total, Coloradans buried over 5,900,000 tons of materials in the state’s landfills in 2020.”

Denver’s new #SkipTheStuff ordinance is similar to policies in place in many other cities, most of them in California.

The ordinance joins two other pieces of legislation that have a goal of reducing plastic waste: last year, Denver implemented a $0.10 charge for every disposable bag—paper or plastic—shoppers use at places like grocery stores and retailers. That $0.10 fee will expand statewide in 2023.

Finally, in 2024, all single-use plastic bags will be banned in Colorado, and restaurants will not be permitted to use Styrofoam. There are some exceptions.