The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, home of Cancun and the Riviera Maya, last week banned the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags.

The move, which will benefit the Quintana Roo real estate market, follows a similar bag ban in Mexico City in September and will be implemented with a 180 day transition period.

The law was put forward by Mexico's Green Party and unanimously approved by the government of Quintana Roo.

In June this year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) also called for a global ban on plastic bags.

Achim Steiner, executive director of the UNEP, said, "Single use plastic bags ... should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere. There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere."

Visit our main website for information about Quintana Roo real estate.