Name: Colorado bill aims to ban plastic disposal in our waterways
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T16:40:25.387Z
Duration: 2 min 28 s
Description: Environmental advocates urged Colorado state lawmakers to crack down on tiny plastic pellets they say are polluting waterways and threatening wildlife.

Environmental advocates urged Colorado state lawmakers to crack down on tiny plastic pellets they say are polluting waterways and threatening wildlife.

Denver

Colorado legislators have introduced Senate Bill 26-016, which would ban the discharge of pre-production plastic pellets, commonly called nurdles, into the state's waterways. The bill is sponsored by State Senator Lisa Cutter and State Representative Leslie Smith and is supported by environmental organizations concerned about the impact of plastic pollution on wildlife and human health.

The proposed legislation clarifies that no plastic discharge permits would be issued in Colorado and requires organizations handling nurdles to take extra precautions. While similar bills have been introduced in other states, only California has enacted such a law so far. Lawmakers emphasize the importance of clean water and the persistence of plastic pollution in the environment.

Colorado bill aims to ban plastic disposal in our waterways

Welcome back. Now that the Legislature is back in session, Colorado lawmakers looking to keep plastics out of our waterways. Denver 7 Ethan Carlson is breaking down a new bill that is being introduced now to do exactly that. The next time you see a duck dunk his head under the water, consider what he thinks might look tasty. These pellets are small round bits of plastic sort of lentil sized. They can resemble fish eggs, especially because they're a bit clear and they have that round lentil shape. Rachel Jagger with Environment Colorado is concerned about plastics in our waterways. Plastic accumulates other chemicals in the environment. For example, DDT, the pesticide, and it delivers those chemicals to any animals that eat it. These tiny beads are called nurdles. Manufacturing facilities melt them down to create all of the plastics were more familiar with, but they can be easy to lose track of. They can be spilled at the facilities that manufacture them or at the facilities that are getting them delivered to use them to manufacture. Other things they can also be spilled during transport. That's why Environment Colorado is supporting Senate Bill 26-016 prohibit discharge pre production plastic materials sponsored by state Senator Lisa Cutter. So that organizations know that when they're using and or transporting these really tiny little plastic pellets called nurdles that they have to be take extra caution. The other sponsor of the bill, state Representative Leslie Smith has a 30 year background as an aquatic scientist. Water is a critical resource for us. If these things are not If these plastics are found, for instance, in our drinking water treatment plants and then there the water is getting fed into households and so forth, then we are going to be drinking the plastics ourselves. The bill clarifies that any plastic materials should not be discharged into the environment and that no plastic discharge permit could ever be issued in the state of Colorado. And both legislators are optimistic that it will eventually become law. Similar bills have been introduced in other states, but the only one to pass a plastic pellet bill so far has been California. Everybody in this chamber understands the importance of clean water and particularly the importance to Colorado, especially since it's starting to be found in our bodies. I would think people would want to try to protect the environment. And protect themselves so that hopefully our fish and our birds will snack on healthier foods. In Denver, plastic doesn't go away. It'll be around for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. Ethan Carlson, Denver 7.

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