Plastic Pollution Awareness

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO ENGROSSED SJR26-022 LLS NO. R26-0826.01 Shannon Wheeler x4340 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Cutter, Amabile, Ball, Benavidez, Bridges, Coleman, Danielson, Daugherty, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Kipp, Kolker, Lindstedt, Marchman, Roberts, Rodriguez, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Joseph, Senate Committees House Committees SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 26-022 CONCERNING DESIGNATING JULY 12 THROUGH 18, 2026, AS PLASTIC POLLUTION AWARENESS WEEK.

WHEREAS, Plastic Pollution Awareness Week is meant to be a statewide observance focused on educating and engaging Coloradans about the growing threats of plastic pollution to environmental and human health; and WHEREAS, Plastic products are derived from oil and gas processing, which contributes to climate change; and WHEREAS, Plastic products often contain chemical additives; and WHEREAS, Plastic production has disproportionately negative public and environmental health impacts on low-income communities and communities of color that are located near refineries and plastic production facilities; and WHEREAS, Microplastics are pieces of plastic measuring five millimeters or less and nanoplastics are pieces of plastic measuring one micrometer or less, and these micro- and nanoplastics originate from Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

SENATE Final Reading April 22, 2026 plastic products, including packaging, synthetic fibers in textiles, and tires; and WHEREAS, Micro- and nanoplastics may be accidentally inhaled, eaten, or drunk, and thereby distributed to vital human organs, including the heart, lungs, reproductive organs, and brain; and WHEREAS, Microplastics are increasingly found passing the blood-brain barrier, in human reproductive organs, and in placentas; and WHEREAS, Emerging research indicates that microplastics have negative effects on human health; and WHEREAS, Microplastics are a growing global concern, as they are cumulative and found in every remote corner of the world; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

That the Colorado General Assembly designates July 12 through 18, 2026, as "Plastic Pollution Awareness Week" in recognition that:

(1) Plastic products have improved many aspects of human life, especially in the arenas of health care and food safety, and yet the negative impacts of plastic pollution on human and environmental health present a growing challenge;

(2) The state has taken meaningful action to reduce plastic pollution and improve recycling systems;

(3) Plastic recycling is only one of many tools to reduce the negative impacts of plastic pollution, and it will not solve this multifaceted issue on its own;

(4) It is important to raise awareness about the sources and dangers of plastic pollution with a goal to help consumers make informed purchases and advocate for solutions, and to encourage companies to increase their efforts to reduce this growing challenge; and

(5) By raising awareness, we can better come together as local communities, businesses, institutions, non-profits, informed consumers, and the state legislature to craft and implement solutions to reduce plastic pollution and its harmful impact in Colorado.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Senate Joint Resolution be sent to Eco-Cycle, GreenLatinos Colorado, Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), Healthy Air and Water Colorado, Moms Clean Air Force, League of Women Voters, Conservation Colorado, Environment Colorado, Walking Mountains Science Center, High Country Conservation Center, Western Resilience Center, and Colorado Communities for Climate Action.