Colombia: government issues decree that regulates single-use plastics

The Colombian president, Gustavo Petrosigned a decree regulating the single use plastics in the country and is aimed at those who market, distribute or use this type of products, official sources reported this Tuesday.

Decree 2192 of 2023 intends “regulate measures aimed at reducing the production and consumption of single-use plastics in the national territory.”

To this end, the document states, the entry of this type of products into protected areas and sensitive ecosystems, as well as wetlands that are part of the Ramsar Convention, was prohibited.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was adopted in 1971 and aims to promote national actions and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Colombia has been part of the Ramsar Convention since 1998. In the Convention, each Party is obliged to designate at least one wetland for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance.

“Only those single-use plastics necessary to meet the personal needs of the communities and park rangers who live in the protected areas may enter and these plastics or the products that contain them, in no case may they be sold within the area” , highlights the decree signed by Petro.

Likewise, the document orders the authorities responsible for protected areas to implement a communication and citizen culture program to encourage “the proper management of waste, as well as the use of reusable elements.”

The decree also encourages the formalization of plastic processing companies and asks the Ministry of the Environment to define the conditions that single-use plastic products must meet. “to be considered biodegradable and/or compostable under natural environmental conditions.”