Updated on July 20, 2023 at 4:00pm

On Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at the regular meeting which starts at 7:00pm, Frisco Town Council will be considering ordinances to reduce single-use plastic in the Town of Frisco and update the bag fee program. This ordinance aligns with the State of Colorado Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (PPRA), which aims to protect Colorado’s people, wildlife, waterways, and the environment by phasing out single-use plastics. The proposed ordinances and staff reports are available for review in the Town Council meeting packet for the July 25 meeting.

Single-Use Plastics in Restaurants and Retail

Ban on Use of Polystyrene To-Go Containers

The proposed ordinance would ban the use of polystyrene to-go containers, including hinged boxes, trays, and bowls/cups, effective January 1, 2024.

Ban on Plastic Water Bottles

The proposed ordinance would ban the sale or supplying of single use plastic water bottles that are under one gallon in size, effective July 1, 2024. This means that single or multi packs of bottled water in plastic containers would no longer be able to be sold or supplied by a business in the Town of Frisco. Businesses would need to move to water packaged in containers that are more recyclable, such as water in aluminum cans or in paper/wax cartons.

Exceptions:

• In cases of emergency or other situations when the Town finds that relying on single use plastic water bottles is necessary to protect public health, safety, and welfare, and no reasonable alternative would serve the same purpose, including lack of potable water due to a natural disaster or disruption to the Town’s water treatment system.

Skip the Stuff

The ordinance would require that plastic single use to-go items, including plastic utensils, packaged condiments, paper napkins, stirrers, straws, and lids, are provided by request only and not automatically supplied without a customer asking, effective July 1, 2024. Restaurants may provide a self-service station for customers to select their own to-go items, as listed above.

Exemptions:

• Meals provided as part of a social service to vulnerable populations, including meals provided by school systems, homeless shelters, and programs that deliver meals to elderly.
• Specific supplies used by third party delivery services, including cup lids, spill plugs, and trays, that are used to prevent spills and deliver food and beverages safely

Bag Fee Updates

This part of the proposed ordinance would also make the Town of Frisco more consistent with the State of Colorado PPRA. Single use plastic bags would continue to be banned. These changes are outlined below:

Businesses Keeping Bag Fees

This ordinance would change how much of the bag fee a business could keep. Under the current ordinance, 50% of the disposable bag fee may be kept by a business, up to a maximum amount of $100 per month. This ordinance would allow businesses to instead keep 40% of the bag fee that they collect with no maximum, and the other 60% would be remitted to the Town of Frisco. The minimum remittance would be $20 per quarter (under the current ordinance there is no minimum). If a business has less than $20 to remit, they would keep the remittance until they had over $20 and remit within that quarter.

Just Paper Bags

Currently, businesses are only permitted to provide (with a $.25 bag fee) paper bags made from at least 40% post-consumer (PCR) recycled materials. Under this new ordinance, paper bags would need to be made of 100% recycled or other post-consumer recycled materials, and a $.25 bag fee would still be charged. Businesses with stock remaining of 40% PCR paper bags as of July 1, 2024 when this new requirement would go into effect, would be able to continue to distribute these bags to customers until they ran out and would need to continue to charge a bag fee.

Use of Bag Fee

Under this new ordinance, the Town of Frisco would be able to use the bag fee for more purposes, including to plan, promote, or implement any recycling, composting, or other waste reduction programs and related outreach and education.

How to be Part of the Conversation

Town Council

This ordinance will be discussed and considered during the July 25, 2023 Town Council meeting, which starts at 7:00pm, and again on August 8, if the ordinance passes the first reading in July. If attending both or either of these Town Council meetings, public comment may be provided in person or via Zoom. All meeting information may be found at FriscoGov.com. Feedback may be emailed to Frisco Town Council at Council@townoffrisco.com.

Meet with Staff

Staff is available to discuss how the proposed ordinance would impact businesses and is available to answer questions on the single-use plastic ordinance. Please contact Town of Frisco Environmental Programs Manager, Hilary Sueoka, at HilaryS@townoffrisco.com or call 970-668-4571.