Protecting against environmental hazards from plastic materials

Plastic is a major environmental pollutant in Costa Rica which accounts for only 0.03% of the earth’s surface but contains 6% of the world’s biodiversity. To preserve one of the most biodiverse countries, Costa Rica rolled out a national strategy in 2018 to drastically reduce plastic use by 2021. It took its environmental protection efforts a step further by banning the use of styrofoam containers in 2019. The legislation will go into effect in 24 months after it is officially published in the government newsletter. The law prohibits the import, marketing, and distribution of polystyrene containers — commonly referred to as styrofoam — throughout the country. The government is required to aid companies in adapting to environmentally friendly containers before the law is fully enforced.