ARCHIVE: Published Monday, September 2, 2019












In the paper bags, a brand with the Social Security logo is being placed and also information about the medication and the dose.  / Social Security courtesy photo.

Social Security bans plastic bags used for delivering medicines


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff



In the next few days, all patients who accept medications at Social Security pharmacies will receive them in paper bags.

According to Social Security, this change started last year in some pharmacies, but now it will be incorporated into all 503 pharmacies that the institution has throughout the country.

This change has the goal of minimizing the use of single-use plastic bags in services and replacing them with degradable packaging.

In the paper bags, a brand with the Social Security logo is being placed and also information about the medication and the dose.

For the delivery of medicines, 7.5 million paper bags were purchased.

"Pharmacies should contribute to reducing the carbon footprint, and in turn, indirectly lead to greater awareness of all those who come daily for their medications," said Dr. Esteban Vega, National Pharmacy Coordinator.

Related to new rules to reduce the contamination, president Carlos Alvarado signed the Law No. 9703 to prohibits the import, sale, and delivery of containers made with polystyrene by any commercial establishment, as A.M. Costa Rica reported on July.

"It is necessary to make a change in our minds," said Alvarado after signed the law." We are going to fight to safeguard fundamental rights such as the right to health, and we are sending a clear message that these actions display the unequivocal commitment that this government has to achieve decarbonization of the economy."

However, this law includes several exemptions for the use of polystyrene, such as:

1) When for the conservation or protection of the products, the use of alternative material is not viable.

2) When the material is used in the packaging of household appliances and related items.

3) When polystyrene is used in industries.

Polystyrene is a synthetic hydrocarbon polymer made from the monomer styrene. It can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point.

Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, the scale of its production being several million tons per year. Uses include protective packaging (such as packing peanuts and CD and DVD cases), containers, lids, bottles, trays, tumblers, disposable cutlery, and in the making of models.

According to the study, "Polystyrene is slow to biodegrade. Regional distribution of styrene analogs generated from polystyrene degradation along the coastlines of the North-East Pacific Ocean and Hawaii. It accumulates as a litter in the outdoor environment, particularly along shores and waterways, especially in its foam form, in the Pacific Ocean."

According to that report, on July 1, 2015, New York City became the largest city in the United States to prohibit the sale, possession, and distribution of single-use polystyrene foam. The initial decision was overturned on appeal.

The American Enterprise Institute reported whether polystyrene could be microwaved with food is controversial. Some containers may be used safely in microwave, but only if labeled as such. Some sources suggest using foods containing carotene (vitamin A) or cooking oils must be avoided because toxins are produced. Because of the pervasive use of polystyrene, these serious health-related issues remain topical.



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Should this law banning the use of polystyrene, not include exceptions? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

















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