SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Chile remains at the forefront of restrictive plastics regulations in Latin America as the whole political spectrum tries to capitalize in rules which resonate with public opinion, according to the CEO at the country’s trade group Asipla.
Magdalena Balcells added that, however, the regulations have prompted a larger push for sustainability among companies in the plastics chain which, in turn, is making them fitter for the future.
Chile was one of the first countries among a very small group in Latin America which introduced, for instance, mandates for carrier plastic bags to be charged in shops, sharply reducing their use.
In countries such as Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, plastic bags are omnipresent, given for free in shops. Their presence as waste in the streets of cities like Sao Paulo is equally omnipresent.
A visitor to Chile’s capital Santiago can quickly note the absence of such a waste, among many other differences with other Latin American countries.
Interestingly, Balcells also concedes the plastics industry could have done better in some aspects, not least waste – she said producers knew a long time ago the plastic pollution problem was becoming a serious human and environment health issue but were either late to talk about it and alert the authorities, or, in most cases, ignored it entirely.
Published by: www.icis.com
Jonathan Lopez
21-Jun-2024
