Page 30 - Implementation of ITU-T international standards for sustainable management of waste electrical and electronic equipment: The path to a circular economy in Costa Rica

Implementation of ITU-T international standards for sustainable management of waste
electrical and electronic equipment: The path to a circular economy in Costa Rica

Figure 5 – Demographic and economic information of Costa Rica

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of ITU or its Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or
area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Costa Rica is home to great biodiversity, and approximately a quarter of the territory is protected
by public or private reserves dedicated to the conservation of the environment and preserving
this biological diversity. The interest in environmental conservation means that the country has
strict policies and regulations on this issue, and is placed among the top positions in the Global
Environmental Performance Index (Ministry of Environment and Energy). It is also recognized
worldwide for its conservation and sustainable development efforts. The legislation broadly
covers the interactions among environmental factors influencing human health, being strict on
the environmental and health impacts, and the waste issue is not an exception.

The Costa Rican economy has undergone a transformational process from a productive structure
based on trade and manufacturing to one based on professional, technical, scientific, and
administrative services, as well as activities related to health and social assistance. According
to reports from the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX), imports of ICT-related devices have
increased in recent years. Cellular phones are among the top five imported products, accounting
for 2 per cent of the total. Electricity meters, electrical conductors, and radio broadcasting
devices are among the products with the highest growth in millions of dollars of imports in 2019.

2.2 Costa Rican WEEE regulatory framework

The basis of national waste legislation is the Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica,
which stipulates the citizens’ right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. It is
supplemented by the International Conventions to which the country is signatory and which
take precedence over national legislation.

In 2010 Costa Rica enacted Law 8839 on the Integral Waste Management (Law 8839, 2010). Its
purpose is to regulate integral waste management and to achieve an efficient use of resources.

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