Prohibition of Straws and Plastic Bags in Costa Rica
By zone_admin | 23 de May de 2022 | Blog
Law number 9786 to Combat Plastic Pollution and Protect the Environment was recently published in the newspaper La Gaceta, which will come into force 6 months after its publication and whose regulations seek a drastic reduction in the consumption of single-use plastic items in the country and its subsequent recycling, in accordance with the principles of a circular economy.
A circular economy is one where the waste from our consumer products is used as inputs for the production of other goods and services. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to follow the 3R Scheme : 1) Reduce the amount of waste that is produced, 2) Reuse all the materials that we can and 3) Recycle that waste whose generation was unavoidable
For this reason, the new Law, which is a necessary tool to deal with the prolonged pollution generated by plastic, contains provisions for the reduction, reuse and recycling of plastic-based products:
Reduction of plastic waste generation :
- Prohibition of Plastic Straws : 12 months after the regulation of this law has been issued, the sale or free delivery of single-use plastic straws throughout the national territory will be prohibited. However, the straws that are included in the product packaging may continue to be marketed for the next 3 years.
Additionally, it is recognized that the Ministry of Health may establish exceptions under technical criteria.
- Prohibition of Plastic Bags : the sale or free delivery of plastic bags in commercial premises is prohibited. This ban will come into effect 12 months after the issuance of the regulation.
Plastic bags made to be reused and have a low environmental impact certification issued by the Costa Rican Accreditation Entity are exempt from this prohibition, provided they meet the following characteristics:
| Size |
environmental characteristics |
| Small : 45 cm. wide x 60 cm long and a minimum thickness of 0.75 thousandths of an inch. |
Made with at least 50% reprocessed material. |
| Medium : 52 cm. wide x 68 cm long and a minimum thickness of 0.88 thousandths of an inch. |
Made with at least 50% reprocessed material. |
| Biodegradable bags of any size. |
- Ecological purchases by the State : from now on it is prohibited for public institutions and companies, including municipalities, to purchase single-use plastic items, including plates, glasses, forks, knives, spoons , disposable straws and stirrers and others used mainly for food consumption.
Said institutions will be able to acquire reusable, recyclable products or with some additive that reduces the consumption of materials of fossil origin. Likewise, there is the possibility that future exceptions may be declared when so defined by the Ministry of Health based on technical criteria or when a state of emergency is declared.
- Duty to encourage reuse: Establishes the duty of commercial establishments to encourage their customers to transport the items purchased in their own packaging, cloth bags, boxes and other reusable containers.
Reuse of waste :
The prohibitions on the sale or free delivery of plastic products only apply to single-use plastic products, while companies are urged to carry out recovery and reuse programs for the plastic products they sell.
Recycling:
Public institutions and companies are authorized to purchase single-use plastic products, provided that they are recyclable or have been previously recycled.
The obligation is imposed on everyone who sells plastic bottles or products contained in them, that after 12 months after the publication of the regulations of this law, they comply with at least one of the following measures that are detailed below:
- That the commercialized plastic bottle is produced with recycled resin at a percentage that must be defined by regulation.
- Establish a program for the recovery, reuse, recycling, energy use or other means of recovery of the waste derived from the products they market. The implementation parameters of these programs will be defined in future regulations.
- Participate in a program for comprehensive waste management that may be organized by sector or by the waste generated.
- In the case of producers, make products or use containers or packaging that, due to their design, manufacturing or use characteristics, minimize the generation of waste and facilitate its recovery, or allow its disposal in the least harmful way for health and the environment. environment.
- Establish strategic alliances with at least one municipality to improve comprehensive waste collection and management systems.
Plastic bottles that contain inputs necessary for agricultural production are exempt from these obligations.
- All businesses that sell single-use plastic products must have separate containers or receivers to deposit reusable and non-reusable plastic waste, in order to later treat them correctly.
Undoubtedly, the new Law to Combat Plastic Pollution and Protect the Environment, proposes adjustments in the behavior of all the country's inhabitants, both consumers and commercial establishments. Which is a reminder that this century promises changes in the way we have been living, and although some of these modifications may be expensive, they are necessary to maintain life as we know it on our planet.
