Plastic bags banned from Rio markets

Supermarkets in Rio de Janeiro will be banned from offering disposable plastic bags to customers. A state law to be brought into effect Wednesday (Jun 26) stipulates that establishments should offer only recyclable or biodegradable bags. Small and micro businesses will be given six months to adapt.

In order to raise awareness about the harm posed by plastic bags to the environment and to encourage better practices among consumers, the Supermarkets’ Association of Rio de Janeiro State has launched a campaign dubbed Desplastifique Já! (“go plastic-free”).

Supermarkets’ Association head Fábio Queiróz said most supermarkets will charge for biodegradable bags “as a way to discourage consumption.” Markets do not have to give bags free of charge under the law, he added.

“Starting tomorrow, traditional plastic bags will not be in our stores and will be replaced with bags made with at least 51 percent of renewable resources, like sugar cane, with a resistance of four to seven or ten kilos and strength for 20 to 50 trips to the supermarket. But here’s my appeal: take a canvas bag to the supermarket with you. That’s the solution.”

As part of the campaign, Queiróz went on to say, associated supermarkets will give customers their first two recyclable bags free of cost for six months.

“The new bags may be taken to the supermarket some 20 to 50 times. There’s no longer reason to buy new bags every time. Reducing the amount of times it’s purchased is key.”

This will enable us to offer the public more special deals. “Only those who use plastic bags will pay for them, and this takes the product out of our operational costs, so we can have more deals, because spending on plastic bags will be lower,” he argued.

The state of Rio de Janeiro is reported to consumes some 4 billion plastic bags every year.

*EBC radio reporter Tâmara Freire contributed to this article.