The law establishes that if no sustainable alternative is offered, such as products that are reusable, biodegradable or made from recycled raw materials, among other exceptions, they cannot be marketed or distributed in Colombia.
“The single-use plastics law establishes the Elimination of 21 products that will no longer be produced and marketed throughout the territory (Colombia),” explained the Presidency of Colombia in a video published on the social network X (Twitter).
The Colombian Ministry of Environment stated on social media that in its country 1.4 million tons of plastic are produced every yearwhich is equivalent to the weight of 34,000 commercial aircraft. In addition, the institution points out that only 25% of the products are recycled, and half of them end up in landfills.
Read more: Ipnusac: air pollution shortens Guatemalan life expectancy by 2.4 years
“Of The remaining 13 plastic products will be gradually eliminated until its total elimination in 2030,” added the Presidency of Colombia.
For its part, the Ministry of Environment of that country assured that single-use plastic products “They last less than 10 minutes in our hands“.
“With this law we aspire to meet the goal of having in Colombia All plastics produced in the country by 2030 must be reusable or recyclable“, Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said in a statement on July 6.
The measure includes fines for businesses that distribute eight plastic products that will be removed from the market starting July 7.
#LessPlasticsForLife | Starting tomorrow, the ban on single-use plastics comes into effect. ♻️
8 plastic products, such as straws, cotton swabs, laundry bags, point-of-payment bags, among others, will be removed from the market. Here we explain the details. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qpi21SnSjI
— Presidency of Colombia 🇨🇴 (@infopresidencia) July 6, 2024
Read also: “It is under potential threat”: Government warns of damage to the Maya Biosphere Reserve
Eight banned plastic products
“Production is not prohibited, but rather marketing and placing on the market.“These products will be exported,” said the vice president of the Colombian Association of Plastic Industries (Acoplásticos) to the radio station Laud, adding that the companies that produce these items can “continue manufacturing them for export.”
The eight single-use plastic products that cannot be sold and distributed in Colombia are:
- Plastic supermarket bags
- Magazine and invoice packaging bags
- Laundry packing bags
- Plastic swab holders
- Straws
- Mixers
- Balloon stand
- Roll bags for fruits and vegetables
It’s hoooy! It’s hoooy!
🌿 Remember that these 8 plastic products are being removed from the market in 🇨🇴, starting TODAY, July 7. #YoDejoElPlásticoPor the health of our ecosystems. And you? #LessPlasticsForLife pic.twitter.com/p7Wxjgge8B— Ministry of Environment Colombia (@MinAmbienteCo) July 7, 2024
You might be interested in reading: ARCAS Petén: caring for and rehabilitating wild animals
For several weeks now, shops and supermarkets in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, have been hanging notices on their checkout counters warning regarding the entry into force of the ban, announcing that No convenience bags will be provided to shoppersas was customary.
There are some exceptions, for example, for packaging of meat and dairy products.
The law banning the distribution of single-use plastics was approved by Congress in 2022 and plans to gradually withdraw around twenty products, starting with eight.
According to figures from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), around 700,000 tons of plastic bags and containers circulate in the Colombian domestic market each year.
Also read: False signatures and stamps appear in the approval of the Cerro Blanco environmental license, says minister
In 2018, Chile was the first country in Latin America to ban the distribution of plastic bags in stores and supermarkets. Panama joined in 2021 and Uruguay, in the same year, authorized Only the sale of recyclable bags.
In Mexico, most states have approved bans and restrictions on single-use plastics in shops. In the Galapagos archipelago, Ecuador, plastic bags, straws and polyethylene containers have been banned since 2018.
#Colombia #bans #singleuse #plastic #products #including #bags
