Panama steps up fight against plastic

The use of polyethylene plastic in wholesale warehouses that distribute merchandise will be prohibited, from  Monday, January 20. The regulation applies to businesses that sell merchandise in volumes.

Users should look for new alternatives, as was the case with reusable bags used in supermarkets, pharmacies and retail stores since July 20, 2019, when the first phase of the legislation banning the use of plastic bags was introduced.

 “There are shops that have made their bags biodegradable or soluble.

Reusable bags are sold in stores from $ 0.06 to $ 1.37, according to a price list of the consumer Protection Authority (Acodeco).

To be able to market the reusable bags, retail stores must clearly display the cost of the bags to the public. In the case of plastic bags, they must have a certification that guarantees that the material does not contain polyethylene.

For breaching thee regulations, Acodeco has sanctioned 44 stores for an amount of $11,600, mainly to pharmacies, supermarkets, mini-stores and clothing and footwear stores

According to a report by the Inter-American Development Bank, 4,800 tons of garbage are produced every day in Panama, 2,500 of them in Panama City.

However, only 5% of the waste is recycled, although 70% of the waste can be reused with a calculated value of $ 47 million.

Meanwhile, the National Customs Authority reports that since the implementation of the regulations the import of plastic bags to the country has been reduced by 54%.