Banning Straws, Plastic Bags and Syrofoam Containers in Jalisco

Picked this up from San Pancho Life... Heads up! Too bad the four photos of animals in distress because of plastic didn't copy well.

Good news from Jalisco - Banning straws...

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - Before the end of the current legislature, the State Congress intends to approve the bill to prohibit the use of straws, plastic bags and even Styrofoam throughout Jalisco, in order to stop the environmental damage caused by these products, especially to marine fauna.

With this measure, all municipalities must adapt their regulations before the end of the year to begin the ban from the first day of 2019, Citizen Movement Deputy Verónica Jiménez informed.

"What we are proposing is that the warnings and regulations be put into force as of January 1, 2019, and communicated throughout the year to make the public aware and socially conscientious, and beginning on January 1, 2020 violators will be fined."

The proposal arose from the initiative presented in Puerto Vallarta by city councilman Juan José Cuevas, based on the observations he had made about the indiscriminate use of straws in that tourist center.

The initiative will propose reforms to the State Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Protection of the Environment, as well as to the Law of Integral Waste Management.

This will generate some obligations for the State Government, such as promoting research and development of technologies and companies that replace plastic bags, straws and Styrofoam, said Jimenez. In addition, support programs should be created to promote the companies dedicated to the production of said products (provided they are biodegradable), to the recycling and reduction of these materials. They also have to generate awareness campaigns and create incentives for the general public to replace plastic bags, Styrofoam and straws with eco-friendly alternatives.

"This is very important because it is not just a question of prohibiting plastics, but also of generating incentives aimed at economic entities that substitute plastic bags, straw and Styrofoam for biodegradable products."

The responsibilities for the 125 municipalities are to regulate and sanction the use of these products, as well as to generate environmental education campaigns, agreements with companies that replace their plastics with biodegradable materials, monitor compliance with the prohibition and establish sanctions.

Jiménez explained that during 2019 stores will only be put on alert so that businessmen who have accumulated merchandise can use what is already stored in their warehouses during that time.

"We are going to issue warnings so that the use of these products is discouraged until the first of January of 2020, at which time whoever uses or sells them will be sanctioned and fined. What we want is for our municipalities to be free of these harmful contaminants."

Original article translated and edited by José Antonio Gonzalez for BanderasNews.com

That is great news. Several cities and/or counties are doing the same up North. They just became illegal in Seattle and Starbucks are starting a world wide effort to minimize the use of plastic.

Kiri wrote:https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/biodegradable-straws-from-avocado-seeds/

LOVE IT!

I would ask at Tony's Take Out because they've been using paper bags and non styrofoam containers for the chicken and ribs for a while now. I don't even mind taking in my own Rubbermaid containers for coleslaw etc.
If we're not part of the solution, we're part of the problem.

Could be. But I don't wanna be called a bag lady. ;)

@Itollefs. Does she use them to put garbage in and then throw them out?