With 39 votes in favor, the Costa Rican Congress approved in the second reading a bill to fight plastic pollution in the country.
The most important points of the proposal – promoted by Erwen Masís, from the Christian Social Unity Party (PUSC), are:
Public or private plans, programs, projects, strategies and ventures of circular economy, prevention, reduction, reuse, assessment, treatment, provision and education on the replacement and elimination of single-use plastic pollution are declared of public interest, as well as initiatives for productive reconversion, conservation, sustainable use and research for the substitution, reduction and elimination of single-use plastic.
The Banking System for Development and the entities of the National Financial System are authorized to generate special research programs for innovation, financing and support to micro and small companies that develop conservation, reduction, recycling, prevention and productive reconversion projects of industries that manufacture plastic products.
The commercialization and free delivery of disposable plastic straws is banned throughout the national territory. The marketing and free delivery of plastic bags to the final consumer in supermarkets and commercial establishments whose purpose is to haul the goods to their final destination is banned. But plastic bags that guarantee their reuse and that are certified with low environmental impact are exonerated.
Plastic bottles that are marketed or distributed in the national market must contain a percentage of recycled resin which will be defined by regulation considering the type of product to be packaged, the technology available and accessible to the country, the availability of resin in the local market, the conditions of public health, hygiene, safety and other conditions necessary to guarantee public health and environmental protection.
New purchases of single-use plastic items, including dishes, glasses, forks, knives, spoons, straws and disposable and other removers used primarily for food consumption, by all Public Administration institutions, public companies and municipalities, is banned.
The initiative will now go to the Executive Branch for its signature and publication in the official newspaper La Gaceta.