To the sound of popular Brazilian group AfroReggae - long involved with social movements -, the Ministry of the Environment's "Plastic Bags Stink" campaign was launched last Monday (August 3) at the Cunha Canal Ecobarrier in Rio de Janeiro slum Maré. The idea was to stimulate recycling within the local community and in the city as a whole, urging people to substitute plastic bags for other versions made of recyclable materials. The Brazilian Minister of the Environment, Carlos Minc, attended the event.
On the same day campaign posters were put up in all stations of the Rio Subway. The same will be done in subway stations in Brasília. Brazil's government intends to lead commercial establishments to adapt to a new law, sanctioned recently, which obliges commercial establishments to gradually substitute the plastic bags they hand out. They will have a six-month to three-year deadline - from when the law comes into effect - to make the switch.
The campaign also created other incentives - such as a R$ 0,03 discount on every five items taken without the use of a plastic bag, or 1kg of highly popular black beans in exchange for 50 plastic bags.
The campaign will also be launched in other Brazilian states. Minister Minc said that the state of Rio de Janeiro is the first in the country to approve a law which stimulates recycling within commercial establishments.
Carlos Minc also reminded everyone present that recycling helps litter picking cooperatives as well as the population as a whole. "Apart from all the other obvious benefits it brings, recycling helps avoid inundations and even stimulates creativity amongst young peoples who take part in art workshops which make use of recyclable materials," he said.
Plastic grocery bags take countless years to disappear. Brazil uses around 12 billion plastic bags every year; an average Brazilian uses around 66 plastic bags every month.
Redes Sociais