Chile first LatAm country to ban plastic bags

SANTIAGO: Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera enacted a law on Friday that bars businesses nationwide from giving out plastic bags to customers, Xinhua news agency reported.

The law puts Chile “on the forefront” in protecting the environment, said Pinera, who touted the regulation by handing out reusable canvas bags to passersby in downtown Santiago.

“We have become the first country in Latin America and one of the first in the world to say goodbye to plastic bags that pollute our beaches, parks and streets, and also severely harm our fish and birds,” he said.

Chile uses more than 3.4 billion plastic bags a year, or the equivalent of 200 bags per person, according to the Plastic Industries Association.

The law, which aims to remove about 3 million plastic bags from circulation in the short and medium term, takes effect immediately but will be gradually phased in. — Bernama NEW YORK: The New York Stock Exchange’s parent company announced plans on Friday to launch a bitcoin trading platform and partner with Starbucks on a digital currency payment app.

The new exchange, dubbed Bakkt, aims to bring a measure of confidence to bitcoin transactions, according to the statement by Intercontinental Exchange.

ICE chief Jeffrey Sprecher said “we aim to build confidence in the asset class on a global scale, consistent with our track record of bringing transparency and trust to previously unregulated markets.”

Bakkt CEO Kelly Loeffler described the venture as an “onramp” for investors that provides “greater efficiency, security and utility.” — AFP