Costa Rica: Use of Plastic Bags Banned

A bill proposes to ban the practice of handing out non-biodegradable and disposable plastic bags to final consumers in supermarkets and stores.

Friday, November 6, 2015

A bill already approved by the Special Standing Committee on Environment proposes adding an article to the Law for Integrated Waste Management, to prohibit and punish with fines of up to 200 base salaries the handing out of disposable plastic and non-biodegradable bags to end consumers in supermarkets and other stores.

The statement by the Legislature indicates that "... This initiative was presented by former representative from the Frente Amplio party José María Villalta Florez-Estrada and in addition to a ban on plastic bags, also establishes a fine ranging from 20 to 200 base salaries for breaching the law.

"Article 44 bis - Ban the handing out of disposable plastic and non biodegradable bags to final consumers in supermarkets and other retail outlets, as the generate waste which is highly polluting and difficult to manage. Instead, traders must make available to the public bags made of cloth and other materials which are for permanently use or totally biodegradable bags.

Exceptions to this prohibition are in cases where for medical, conservation or food preservation reasons it is not feasible to use alternative packaging. The regulations of this law will define these cases, based on technical criteria.
The use of plastic bags will be allowed only if they are created under technological procedures that give them a biodegradable quality. The Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications, will determine the technological parameters that plastic bags must have in order to be defined as biodegradable. "..."



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From a statement issued by the National Assembly of Panama:

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A draft bill proposes placing a ban on giving out disposable plastic bags and non-biodegradable bags to end consumers in supermarkets and commercial establishments.

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