Chile Enacts Total Ban on Plastic Bags

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Chile has emerged as the first South American nation to impose ban on commercial use of plastic bags. The announcement to this effect was made by President Sebastian Pinera at a public ceremony in Santiago. The new law prevents retailers from handing out plastic bags to customers. The legislation is an extension of the bill introduced by Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and aims to prevent Chile’s coastlines from the menace of plastic bag pollution.

According to the new law, large retailers and supermarkets will be granted six months time to phase out the use of plastic bags, while smaller businesses will have two years time to comply with the law. During the transition period, shops will be allowed to hand out only a maximum of two carrier bags per person. All forms of plastic bags come under the ban, with the exemption of those used to maintain the hygiene of a product or prevent food wastage. Violators of the ban will be subject to a hefty fine of $370, government gazette noted.

The legislation was approved earlier by the Congress, but has been on hold following an appeal by the Association of Industrial Plastics, whose objections were later turned down by the constitutional court.

As per rough estimates Chile consumes approximately 3.4 billion plastic bags per year, which translates to nearly 200 bags per person in a year.