Contrary to other industries, the manufacture of plastic products in Mexico benefited from the pandemic, since it implied a greater use of containers. However, the ban on single-use plastics that Mexico City implemented two years ago continues to be the main problem, and to date there are no indicators as to whether it was really effective in reducing solid waste pollution, said Aldimir Torres, president of the National Association of Plastics Industries (Anipac).
At a press conference, he added that the plastic products manufacturing industry remains in crisis and alert to the effects that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia will have on its production costs, as it could not only increase the price of raw materials for this sector, such as oil, but also affect logistics rates, which had already shot up with the closures due to the pandemic.
He explained that the rent of a container for the transfer of raw materials from China cost 1,400 dollars before the pandemic, during the months when the bottlenecks in the supply chains intensified, it reached up to 20,000 dollars and now it is around 10,000.
In this context, he stressed that although last year there was a recovery in the plastics production industry, not all the jobs lost in this sector during 2020 have been recovered, which, Torres assured, oscillate "between 20,000 and 30,000".
Regarding regulation, he explained that in 31 of the 32 states there are restrictions on plastics, in addition to 250 bills in different areas of government to prohibit or reduce their use, which has led to a readjustment of the industry.
He explained that although there were closures and conversions of companies as a result of the restrictions implemented in Mexico City two years ago, these cases "were minimal", below the 500 that Anipac estimated.
Torres added that although Mexico is above international standards in circular economy, a law and public policy on waste management is still pending, since a large part of it is based on waste collection.
Worldwide, of the 400 million tons produced by the plastics industry, more than 85 percent comes from petroleum products, 14 percent from recycling and just 0.5 percent from biomaterials. Compared to that 14.5 percent, Mexico reaches 22 percent in the manufacture of inputs under the precepts of the circular economy
At a press conference, he added that the plastic products manufacturing industry remains in crisis and alert to the effects that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia will have on its production costs, as it could not only increase the price of raw materials for this sector, such as oil, but also affect logistics rates, which had already shot up with the closures due to the pandemic.
He explained that the rent of a container for the transfer of raw materials from China cost 1,400 dollars before the pandemic, during the months when the bottlenecks in the supply chains intensified, it reached up to 20,000 dollars and now it is around 10,000.
In this context, he stressed that although last year there was a recovery in the plastics production industry, not all the jobs lost in this sector during 2020 have been recovered, which, Torres assured, oscillate "between 20,000 and 30,000".
Regarding regulation, he explained that in 31 of the 32 states there are restrictions on plastics, in addition to 250 bills in different areas of government to prohibit or reduce their use, which has led to a readjustment of the industry.
He explained that although there were closures and conversions of companies as a result of the restrictions implemented in Mexico City two years ago, these cases "were minimal", below the 500 that Anipac estimated.
Torres added that although Mexico is above international standards in circular economy, a law and public policy on waste management is still pending, since a large part of it is based on waste collection.
Worldwide, of the 400 million tons produced by the plastics industry, more than 85 percent comes from petroleum products, 14 percent from recycling and just 0.5 percent from biomaterials. Compared to that 14.5 percent, Mexico reaches 22 percent in the manufacture of inputs under the precepts of the circular economy
