Regulation of the Use of Plastic Straws in the Coastal Region of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil

Abstract

The production and consumption of plastic has increased in recent years, due to the growth in consumption patterns by the population. Disposable plastics, such as straws, have become part of everyday life. Many of these post-consumer waste end up being disposed of incorrectly and, due to their high durability, they remain in the environment for hundreds of years, which can cause impacts to aquatic fauna. Plastic straws are among the most common waste found in beach cleaning actions around the world. In view of this problem, in several locations of the world, regulations have arisen regarding the prohibition or restriction of the use of this material. In order to evaluate the positioning of the municipalities of the coastal zone of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, about this topic, a survey of existing municipal legislation was carried out regarding the prohibition of the use of plastic straws. The state of Rio Grande do Sul has 16 municipalities bordering the sea, including a resident population of about 590,000 inhabitants. Of these municipalities, eight directly prohibit the use of plastic straws. No regulation provides for exception for the use of plastic straws, but all point to the use of biodegradable materials in replacement of plastic and 75% indicate replacement by paper. However, there is a lack of specification or technical criteria for classification and identification of the types of allowed straws. Only 25% of the laws mentioned or proposed environmental education measures and none include economic incentives for the use of alternative materials. However, all point to administrative and economic sanctions in case of non-compliance with the terms of the law. Regulation is believed to be the initial step towards eliminating plastic straws. Nevertheless, implementations of incentive measures are necessary for the development of alternative solutions for consumption, since the simple prohibition of this product can lead to increased use of other disposable items or the use of other materials that are difficult to degrade. In addition, it is essential that the measures adopted are broader and aimed at reducing the consumption of single-use materials as a whole.