Plastic association has court appeal rejected

Chile’s constitutional court has ratified a bill to ban the use of plastic bags in business, paving the way for it to become the first South American country to do so.

The law was passed by Congress on June 1, but last week the Association of Industrial Plastics claimed the move was unconstitutional and filed an appeal, which the court rejected.

Once the law is enacted, shops will have six months to cease using plastic bags, while small businesses will be given a year to comply.