Proposed Legislation Aims to Regulate Hazardous Chemicals in Plastics for the First Time in Chile

Original article: Proyecto de ley busca regular por primera vez las sustancias químicas peligrosas en los plásticos

On Wednesday, September 30, the Zero Waste bloc presented a groundbreaking bill in the Chamber of Deputies aimed at establishing a new framework for regulating hazardous chemicals in plastic products manufactured, imported, and sold in Chile.

Led by Deputy Gonzalo Winter (FA), this initiative represents a significant shift from the traditional approach taken by national legislation on this issue.

While existing regulations focus on waste management and reduction, this bill seeks to address the problem at its source, directly regulating the chemical substances that may be present in plastic products before they become waste.

«The plastics we encounter every day are in our food packaging, clothing, and everywhere else. Today, we do not know which products contain these chemicals because the law does not require importers or producers to disclose what they are using. This bill aims to change that,» explained Deputy Winter.

The bill proposes to ban the manufacture, import, distribution, and sale of plastic products that intentionally include specific groups of concerning substances, such as PFAS, phthalates, bisphenols, certain flame retardants, heavy metals, and chlorinated paraffins.

In addition, it suggests prohibiting intentionally added microplastics in products and establishing limits for certain substances that may not be present intentionally.

The Right to Know What Plastics Contain

A central element of the initiative is that manufacturers and importers will be required to disclose the chemical composition of their plastic products.

This information must identify the added substances, their functions and concentrations, along with other relevant details about the product’s composition.

The proposal stipulates that this information be made publicly accessible and establishes a labeling system that will allow consumers to understand the product composition and obtain more detailed information via QR codes.

«It is illogical that it is legal for the plastic products we use daily to contain toxic substances detrimental to our health. Once this law is passed, it will ensure that the use of plastic products, and even their recycling, is safe for our health, especially for children, who are the most sensitive to these contaminants,» emphasized Alejandra Parra, coordinator of the Zero Waste Alliance Chile, who supported the technical drafting of the legislative proposal.

The initiative also establishes that the same standards will apply to products that incorporate recycled plastic, ensuring that the recycling process does not perpetuate or introduce hazardous chemicals into new products.

Deputy Ana María Gazmuri (AH), one of the bill’s signatories, stressed that this «is not just an environmental issue, but it indeed poses a public health problem.»

«Furthermore, it is a public health problem of which the majority of Chileans are not even aware, regarding the substances and microplastics entering our bodies and acting as hormone disruptors, impacting various aspects of our health,» warned the humanist parliamentarian.

We will continue to provide updates.