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Loading ...Uruguay Closer to Plastic Bag Law
Saturday, September 19th, 2009This week Uruguay came one step closer to restricting the use of plastic carry bags in the nation’s retail establishments. On the 17th the Chamber of Deputies approved a law that would require all supermarkets, hypermarkets, shopping centers, markets and stores in general to only use carry bags for their merchandise that is either degradable, […]
Salvadorian Industry Initiative Recovers 2178 Tons of Plastic Waste in 2008
Friday, April 3rd, 2009El Salvador’s Environment Ministry (MARN) and Health Ministry (MSPAS) just recognized the efforts of a local industry initiative known as Reciplast, which in 2008 recovered 2,178.3 metric tons (mT) of plastic waste. What is Reciplast? It owes its existence in part to MARN and MSPAS. In 2001 MARN and MSPAS launched a National Program for […]
Wal-Mart’s Plastic Bag Reduction Strategy in Central America
Thursday, January 15th, 2009Wal-Mart Central America is pursuing an interesting strategy to achieve its announced target of a 50% reduction in plastic bag use in its more than 500 stores in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua by 2013. Whereas its brethren in Brazil have elected to offer discounts for consumers bringing their own alternatives to […]
Wal-Mart’s Commitment to Reduce Plastic Bag Use in LAC
Friday, September 26th, 2008Perhaps you’ve heard of Wal-Mart’s commitment to reduce plastic shopping bag use (or “carry bags” as my British friends call it) in its US stores 25% and in its international stores by 50% by 2013. Some people are not impressed. I am — at least regarding the international commitment as it applies to Latin America […]
Buenos Aires Bans Non-Biodegradable Plastic Bags
Saturday, September 13th, 2008The Province of Buenos Aires (PBA) just became the latest Latin American jurisdiction to prohibit retailers from offering non-biodegradable plastic carry bags. The provincial government is trumpeting the new law as one banning polyethylene (PE) and other plastic carry bags, but a careful reading of the law shows that it only bans non-biodegradable plastic bags. […]
Are Biodegradable Plastic Bags Really Better?
Saturday, September 22nd, 2007In my rant last June about unnecessary plastic wrap being praised by Chile’s Environment Minister simply because it is “biodegradable,” I promised a guest post from an expert who can explain better than I can the debate over whether “biodegradable” plastic bags are really a substantial improvement over conventional plastic bags. I’m happy to publish […]
What’s Wrong with This Picture?
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007It’s the type of photo-op you probably see on environment ministry or agency websites around the world, especially as World Environment Day (05 June) approaches. The Environment Minister, praising some company or group or individual for doing something deemed environmentally-friendly, often followed by a representative of the company touting the measure as a sign of […]