By January 2019 all supermarkets, pharmacies and other big businesses will be banned from using plastic bags while smaller stores and businesses will be given two years to adapt to the new rules.
The legislation was proposed by Piñera's predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, who banned the use of plastic bags in Chile’s Patagonia region.
The new law is welcome news for Rainforest Concern's El Boldo and Nasampulli reserves which aim to conserve the unique biodiversity of Sclerophyll and Araucaria forests in Chile.