Senate hearing hears agencies and stakeholders split over two‑year delay to single‑use plastics ban

Summary

At a Senate Committee hearing on Senate Bill 1374, agencies said a draft regulation for Law 51 (2022) is near completion and expect a public notice and hearing this spring; environmental groups urged implementation, while industry groups and some senators urged phased rollout or short extensions to address supply, cost and landfill capacity.

SAN JUAN — Lawmakers, agency officials, environmental groups and business representatives spent a full day arguing over Senate Bill 1374, which would postpone enforcement of Puerto Rico’s Law 51 of 2022 — the islandwide prohibition on single‑use plastics — for two years.

The hearing before the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources brought into sharp relief two competing claims: agencies and environmental advocates said the ban is a public‑health and environmental priority that should move forward, while many in the private sector and some senators warned that regulatory ambiguity, supply shortages and limited composting capacity could make immediate enforcement disruptive and costly for small businesses.

Samuel Acosta, appearing for the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNA), told the committee the department has been working with the Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO) on a joint draft regulation and expects to publish a public notice within about two weeks, triggering a 30‑day comment period and a public hearing in early March. Acosta said the agencies plan to have a final regulation by April if the…

Senate hearing hears agencies and stakeholders split over two‑year delay to single‑use plastics ban

Summary

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