2024-07-03 22:02:14
Starting next July 7, several single-use plastics common in daily activities will be banned in Colombia, according to new regulations issued by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Among the affected items are plastic bags for packing fruits and vegetables, newspapers and magazines, laundry bags, plastic straws and stirrers, among others.
Resolution 0803 of 2024 specifies the elimination of eight types of single-use plastics: checkout bags, grocery roll bags, magazine and receipt packaging bags, laundry bags, plastic pump and cotton swab holders, straws and stirrers. These products must be removed from the market next week as part of an effort to reduce the environmental impact of these materials.
The Minister of the Environment, Susana Muhamad, explained that this resolution seeks to encourage consumers to look for more sustainable alternatives.“There is a very important power for citizens to stop using these elements and start thinking about a replacement,” he said.
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This new regulation applies throughout the national territory and affects producers of containers and packaging, manufacturers or importers of single-use plastic products, as well as public and private entities. According to the minister, in order for the prohibited products to remain on the market, they must present sustainable alternatives, be manufactured with 100% recycled raw material from a national source and their use must be 100% of the same resin or mixture of resins used in the products.
In Colombia, there are 375 green businesses working on replacing these plastic materials, promoting the circular economy. The resolution also highlights the importance of professional recyclers in strengthening the recycling production chain and in the certification processes of the quantities collected.
Resolution 0803 of 2024 also establishes that public entities may not acquire prohibited single-use plastics, unless they comply with sustainable alternatives. In addition, they must implement strategies and campaigns to reduce these materials. Plastic bag distributors have until December 31, 2024 to submit an Environmental Management Plan for packaging waste, detailing progress and closing reports on the rational use of plastic bags.
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