DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has been very slow in implementing measures to reduce plastic wastes. The Chamber of Deputies passed the amendments to Law 225-20 on Solid Waste Management and Coprocessing. The bill already had passed in the Senate so it moves to the Presidency for enactment.

Law 225-20 on Solid Waste Management and Coprocessing dates back to 2020, but only now is the government getting around implementations, including reduction of single use plastics.

Law 225-20 has now been modified to exclude the use of those Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)trays used in supermarkets to exhibit meats, fruits and vegetables. This foam and its cousin, the polystyrene bags used to hold groceries are due to be phased out at the beginning of 2026.

Plastic bags are one of the most ubiquitous pieces of solid refuse in the Dominican Republic. Photos of rivers at flood stage often look...