智利3日正式颁布“禁塑法”,禁止全国所有超市､商铺向顾客提供塑料袋｡智利将由此成为拉美首个全面禁止商家向购物者提供塑料袋的国家｡
“禁塑法”规定,自本月3日起,全国大型超市､购物中心和百货商场将有6个月缓冲期,在此期间最多只能向每名购物者提供2个塑料袋｡2019年2月3日起,所有大型超市､商场不得再向购物者提供免费或收费塑料袋,违者将被处以罚款｡对每个违法提供的塑料袋,罚金最高可达370美元｡
根据“禁塑法”,中小微型商家享有2年缓冲期,其间可向每名购物者提供2个塑料袋｡自2020年8月3日起,智利将全面“禁塑”｡
3日,智利总统皮涅拉在首都圣地亚哥市中心向行人派发环保布袋,庆祝“禁塑法”正式颁布｡
今年5月30日,智利国会通过环境部提交审议的“禁塑法”｡6月25日,智利塑料工业协会向智利宪法法院控告“禁塑法”违宪,后被宪法法院驳回｡
2014年4月,智利国会通过法案,禁止在智利南部巴塔哥尼亚地区使用塑料袋｡2017年10月,时任总统巴切莱特签署法案,要求在智利102个沿海城镇禁止商家向顾客提供塑料袋｡
Chile made history on Friday (Aug 3) when it became the first country in Latin America to ban the commercial use of plastic bags.
“I want to share with you the joy that as of today we’re enacting the law,” said President Sebastian Pinera at a public ceremony in the centre of Santiago, after which he handed out cloth bags to passers-by.
Large businesses have six months to phase out the use of plastic bags, while smaller ones will be given two years to adapt to the new rules.
It means that any form of plastic bag other than those constituting primary packaging “necessary for hygiene or to prevent food wastage” are prohibited, the government gazette Diario Oficial said on Friday.
Those flouting the ban will be subject to a US$370 (S$505) fine, in a country where the minimum wage is just US$800.
“Without a doubt we’re taking a giant step towards a cleaner Chile,” added Pinera.
In the meantime, companies will be limited to handing out a maximum of two plastic bags per transaction.
Source: AFP / Xinhua
