Bill would ban plastic shopping bags in Costa Rica

Many plastic bags end up in the environment, including the ocean. (Flickr / thebiggoodbye)

November 6^th, 2015 (ICR News) A bill presented by Frente Amplio (Broad Front / FA) lawmakers to Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly on Thursday would prohibit plastic shopping bags in the country.

The bill, which would add an amendment to the Law on Waste Management, received unanimous positive opinion by the Assembly’s Commission on Environment.

The bill would only prohibit plastic shopping bags typically used to bag groceries at checkout, and would not apply to other plastic products typically used by supermarkets and other retailers, such as plastic bags used to wrap products from stores’ meat cases.

The bill, if passed, would permit retailers a five-year grace period to eliminate use of the bags, after which violators would be exposed to fines ranging from 20 to 100 base salaries.