Mexico City to ban use of single-use plastic products in 2021

As of 2021, Mexico City will ban the marketing, distribution, and delivery of single-use plastic products such as plastic bags, balloons, coffee capsules, food trays, and even tampon applicators in order to reduce environmental damage.

On Thursday morning, at a plenary session, the local congress approved a reform to Article 25 of the Law for Solid Waste , which provides a set of limitations and restrictions on the use of disposable materials in the city. The reform aims to increase the use of biodegradable and compostable materials.

In accordance with the modifications, the marketing, distribution, and delivery of plastic bags to the consumer at sales points will be officially banned as of 2020 , though there are some exceptions, such as plastic bags that are necessary for reasons of hygiene.

Furthermore, the marketing, distribution, and delivery of single-use plastic forks, knives, spoons, chop sticks, mixers, dishes, straws, swab sticks, balloons, balloon sticks, cups, cup lids, trays, and tampon applicators will be banned as of 2021.

Products containing microplastic, such as coffee capsules, will also be banned as of 2021.

The penalty for delivering plastic bags will be of between MXN$40,300 and $161,200.

According to Greenpeace, an average person in Mexico generates 650 plastic bags a year with a useful life of only 12 minutes, all of which contributes to generating 12,816 tonnes of solid waste each year in Mexico City.

The world is drowning in plastic

dm