Due to the severe environmental damage caused by the use of plastics in Costa Rica, the Executive Branch is promoting bill 21,159 “Law to resolve the contamination by plastic residues”, currently in the Legislative Assembly.
The initiative, presented by deputy Paola Vega, hopes to decrease the pollution problem caused by plastics in the country, where almost 90% of the 600 million disposable plastic bottles that are produced annually are NOT recycled or collected and end up in rivers and the oceans.
“Contamination caused by plastics is an important cause of problems for marine wildlife and their habitats. In the case of the sea turtle, for example, it is calculated that a 52% has ingested some type of plastic that stays in their stomachs throughout their life, causing them severe health problems, shortening their life expectancy and putting other species at risk”, explains the press release.
“It is estimated that by 2050, if this trend is not reverted, 99% of all species of sea birds will have eaten plastic”.
The bill presented by Vega, eliminates the commercialization of single use plastic products, styrofoam, and those that include small plastic micro pearls; it prohibits the use of these products in Government institutions and creates a tax for plastic according to the level of contamination of each product; this measure is expected to generate approximately 15 million USD a year, funds that would be managed by a blue fund that will finance recycling, recovery and reuse projects.
“In this way we aim to reactivate the economy generating blue jobs that help ensure healthy and clean oceans for the present and future generations”.
According to the World Economic Forum, 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year worldwide, which is the equivalent of one garbage truck per minute. By 2030 it is estimated that this number will be of 2 trucks every minute and by 2050 garbage trucks per minute.
The initiative, presented by deputy Paola Vega, hopes to decrease the pollution problem caused by plastics in the country, where almost 90% of the 600 million disposable plastic bottles that are produced annually are NOT recycled or collected and end up in rivers and the oceans.
“Contamination caused by plastics is an important cause of problems for marine wildlife and their habitats. In the case of the sea turtle, for example, it is calculated that a 52% has ingested some type of plastic that stays in their stomachs throughout their life, causing them severe health problems, shortening their life expectancy and putting other species at risk”, explains the press release.
“It is estimated that by 2050, if this trend is not reverted, 99% of all species of sea birds will have eaten plastic”.
The bill presented by Vega, eliminates the commercialization of single use plastic products, styrofoam, and those that include small plastic micro pearls; it prohibits the use of these products in Government institutions and creates a tax for plastic according to the level of contamination of each product; this measure is expected to generate approximately 15 million USD a year, funds that would be managed by a blue fund that will finance recycling, recovery and reuse projects.
“In this way we aim to reactivate the economy generating blue jobs that help ensure healthy and clean oceans for the present and future generations”.
According to the World Economic Forum, 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year worldwide, which is the equivalent of one garbage truck per minute. By 2030 it is estimated that this number will be of 2 trucks every minute and by 2050 garbage trucks per minute.
