Mexico City, Mexico — Mexico City has begun the New Year with a ban on single use plastics. According to the Ministry of Environment (Sedema), the ban on sales of single-use disposable plastics began January 1.
The agency, who is working with Impact Assessment and Environmental Regulation, reports that the marketing, distribution and delivery of such plastics is prohibited. They detail the commercialization, distribution and delivery of forks, knives, spoons, mixing sticks, plates, straws, cotton swabs, balloons and balloon rods, cups and their lids, trays to transport food and tampon applicators, are prohibited.
Last year from July to December, personnel from the Secretaría del Medio Ambiente (Sedema) of CDMX visited 1,432 restaurants and food service establishments in order to raise awareness about the impact caused by these products.
“The main objective with this prohibition is to achieve responsible consumption where citizens of the capital are increasingly aware and stop using single-use plastics so as not to generate pollution to the city and the planet,” said Andrée Lilian Guigue Pérez, General Director of Impact Assessment and Environmental Regulation.
He recalled that just a year ago, as part of the new reforms to the Solid Waste Law of Mexico City, the marketing, distribution and delivery of single-use plastic bags was prohibited under the logic that it is in the hands of humans to achieve a better city and a better planet.
In order to ensure businesses comply with the new regulations, Sedema staff continue to visit plazas and commercial corridors with inspection tours. Those found in non-compliance will be handed a first warning.
