The prohibition shall become effective twenty-four months after the entry into force of the Law, which shall be subsequent to its publication in the official newspaper La Gaceta.

See "Import of Styrofoam Products Banned"

From the Costa Rican presidential statement:

July 15, 2019. The President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado; the Ministers of Environment and Energy, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez and Health, Daniel Salas, signed on Monday morning the execution of a modification to the law for "Integrated Waste Management" in an activity that took place at the National Center for Culture (CENAC).

Law N°9703 prohibits the importation into the national territory, the commercialization and the delivery of expanded polyethylene containers, better known as styrofoam, in any commercial establishment.

Exceptions to the prohibition are cases in which, for reasons of conservation or protection of the products, the use of alternative materials, packaging for household appliances and related products and industrial uses is not environmentally viable.

The prohibition shall become effective twenty-four months after the entry into force of the Law. During this period, the State will promote and encourage the productive reconversion of industries dedicated to the import and manufacture of containers, containers or packaging made of expanded polystyrene (foamed plastic material used to produce containers), encouraging the development of productive alternatives that are more friendly to the environment, through the Development Banking System and state commercial banking.

Read full statement (In Spanish).

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