Law No. 8/2020 approving Measures to Reduce the Use of Plastic Bags in São Tomé and Príncipe.

This Law, consisting of 28 articles divided into four Chapters and one Annex, approves Measures to Reduce the Use of Plastic Bags in São Tomé and Príncipe with the object of prohibiting the production, import, commercialization and distribution of non-biodegradable plastic bags in the territory of São Tomé and Príncipe. These measures are applicable to all natural or legal, public and private persons, involved in the production, import, commercialization and free distribution of conventional plastic bags for packaging, namely bags with or without sleeves and garbage bags, covering disposable packaging provided free or not by economic agents with the aim of containing or allowing the transport of the goods purchased there, the bags of high density (HDPE) and low density (LDPE) chemical formula (-CH2-CH2-) polyethylene intended for packaging products purchased from commercial operators and plastic bags produced from hydrocarbons of origin fossil or whose material is not able to degrade naturally and without polluting impact namely through composting processes, defining market measures and raising awareness aimed at reducing the use of conventional plastic bags and establishing inspection and sanctioning regimes.