Belize Officially Breaks Up With Single-Use Plastic on March 31, 2022

by Carolee Chanona

First announcing a phase-out on January 15, 2020, and delayed due to COVID, Belize enters the final phase of its ban on plastic. All manufacturing of plastic products ends on January 31, while the sales of such products must end by 28 February, and possession of such single-use products in Belize will become an offense by March 31, 2022. Here, the fast-tracking of this legislation for phasing out single-use plastic means consumers can expect more reusable and environmentally-friendly products across the country! Included within the ban on single-use products are items like plastic t-shirt bags, takeout containers, and utensils.

What’s included in Belize’s 2022 single-use plastic phase-out?

plastic phase out ocean bag belize single use

The list of single-use products to be prohibited as per Schedule II of the Environmental Protection (Pollution from Plastics) Regulations, 2020, is as follows:

  • Styrofoam and plastic “clamshells”
  • Styrofoam and plastic plates, bowls, cups, and lids
  • Plastic forks, knives, spoons, forks, and cutlery
  • Plastic carrier bags commonly referred to as shopping bags and/or T-shirt bags
  • Plastic drinking straws

plastic habits

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