Chile’s President, Michelle Bachelet, just signed a bill that would ban the use of plastic bags in over 100 coastal areas. She is working at tackling the issue of accumulated plastic waste that has been polluting many bodies of water.
“Our fish are dying from plastics ingestion or strangulation, it’s a task in which everyone must collaborate,” she said. “We will … become the first country in the Americas to implement a law of this type and we call on other countries to assume this responsibility.”
Con el proyecto #chaobolsasplásticas, todas las comunas costeras se sumarán a conservación de los océanos. Un mar limpio para un #ChileMejor pic.twitter.com/Zz90K91BCr
— Michelle Bachelet (@mbachelet) October 25, 2017
In a 2015 study, data showed roughly eight million tons of plastic dumped into the sea annually. This move is a huge milestone and victory for Chile.
President Bachelet’s bill would also allow and encourage non-coastal areas to join the project and restrict the use of plastic.
Along with this plastic ban, the Chilean government is proposing a plan to create 1.6 million square kilometers of marine conservation areas by 2018.
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