Regulations In Mexico Research Articles

Regulatory policy choice in post‐reform contexts: The case of industrial safety regulation in Mexico's oil and gas industry

AbstractHow do the systemic features of a developing country shape regulatory policy choices? This paper examines the rationale behind the regulatory strategy adopted by Mexico's Safety, Energy, and Environment Agency (the ASEA), established after the country's 2013 energy reform to oversee the environmental and industrial safety of the entire national oil and gas sector. Building on the literature on high‐hazard regulation and the necessary conditions for effective regulatory design, we examine 24 core regulatory‐oversight instruments implemented by the agency in its initial years of operation. Our evidence suggests that the ASEA's regulatory strategy was shaped by the disparities in resources across different sectors of the country's oil and gas industry and the agency's limited capacity to oversee every stage of the industrial process systematically. These findings provide a greater understanding of the challenges faced by agencies seeking to oversee high‐hazard industries in post‐reform and developing contexts.

Occurrence of pesticide residues in fig crops (Ficus carica L.), in Morelos, Mexico

The state of Morelos is the main producer of figs in the Mexican Republic, contributing 50% of the national production. Despite the fact that the official regulations in Mexico only allow the use of some pesticides on figs, it is common to find residues of prohibited substances. This work aims to assess the occurrence of pesticide residues in the fig cultivation from 15 different parcels located in Morelos in order to determine their degree of dissipation and the resultant health risk. The fig samples were analyzed using the QuEChERS multi-residue extraction, followed by gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer. Nine pesticides were detected in the sampled crops, of which five were above the maximum allowed residue levels. The pesticides with the highest concentrations were thiophanate-methyl (0.733 mg/kg), chlorothalonil (0.445 mg/kg), propamocarb (0.395 mg/kg), and carbendazim (0.313 mg/kg). All Risk Health Index values were less than 1, indicating no risk to human health. However, it is noteworthy that dietary pesticide intakes estimated in this study considered only exposures from fig fruit and did not include other fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, fish, or meat, among others. These findings suggest the need for a continuous monitoring program for pesticide residues in cultivated vegetables in Morelos.

Seismic evaluation and reliability index of soft story buildings on flexible soils by using old and current seismic regulations in Mexico

A very important number of buildings with a flexible ground floor in Mexico City presented severe damages and collapses during the intraplate earthquake (Mw = 7.1) of September 19, 2017. The statistics of the damaged buildings showed that most of the collapsed structures were designed with a regulation in force in the late 70′s. As a response to the damages observed during this seismic event, the current version of the seismic regulation for Mexico City added a specific chapter for the analysis and design of structures with a flexible ground floor. This study assesses the seismic response of the existing buildings subjected to accelerograms recorded during the occurrence of this earthquake and the expected behavior of new structures designed with the current seismic regulations. To evaluate the methodology proposed in the code to design weak-story buildings, reliability indices of buildings designed with the regulation in force at the end of the 70′s and those obtained in buildings designed with the current regulation were determined. Soil-structure interaction played a very important role in the geographical distribution of the buildings with the greatest damage and also in areas that presented only slight damage. The soil-structure interaction was modeled as suggested in the current Mexican standards. The results show that the range of computed reliability indices in the structures built in the 70′s explain the collapses observed, and not in all cases, the current regulation leads to satisfactory values ​​of the reliability index, particularly when including the soil-structure interaction effects.

Development of the capacity for health regulation in Mexico

Development of the capacity for health regulation in Mexico

The nature and extent of food marketing on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube posts in Mexico.

Food and beverage marketing appealing to children and adolescents has an impact on their food preferences, purchases requests, consumption patterns, health outcomes, and obesity. The objective of this study was to assess the nature and extent of food and beverage marketing on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube posts in Mexico. This was a content analysis that followed the World Health Organization CLICK methodology to comprehend the landscape of digital food marketing campaigns of the top-selling food products and brands and the most popular accounts carried out between September and October 2020. A total of 926 posts from 12 food and beverage products and 8 brands were included. Facebook was the social media platform with the most posts and greatest engagement. The most prevalent marketing techniques were brand logo, image of packaging, image of the product itself, hashtags, and engagement to consume. Fifty percent of the posts were assessed as appealing to children, 66% to adolescents, and 80% to either children or adolescents. Ninety-one percent of products (n=1250) were classified as unhealthy according to the Mexican warning labels nutrient profile; 93% of the food promoted on posts appealing to either children or adolescents were unhealthy. Hashtags commonly referred to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the unhealthy food digital marketing features marketing techniques that appeal to children or adolescents; moreover, the use of the pandemic hashtag reflected brands' responsiveness to the environment at the time of the study. The present data contribute to evidence supporting the strengthening of food marketing regulations in Mexico.

Digital marketing of commercial breastmilk substitutes and baby foods: strategies, and recommendations for its regulation in Mexico

BackgroundParents are exposed to breastmilk substitutes and baby foods marketing on the internet and social media, which hinders adequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding. This study identifies digital marketing strategies for breastmilk substitutes, specifically commercial milk formula and baby foods used by the industry to influence infant and young children’s feeding practices in Mexico and proposes regulatory recommendations that can be useful for similar countries.MethodsQualitative study based on the CLICK monitoring framework developed by the World Health Organization, adapted for digital marketing of commercial milk formula and baby foods. Semi-structured interviews (n = 53) with key actors were conducted between November 2020 and March 2021, and used grounded theory for the analysis and interpretation with the MAXQDA 20 software.ResultsCommercial milk formula and baby food companies use digital media to contact and persuade parents to use their products by sending electronic newsletters with advertising. Companies hire influencers to market their products because there is no regulation prohibiting the advertisement of breastmilk substitutes on social media, and promote formula among health professionals inviting them to participate in sponsored webinars on infant nutrition, ignoring conflict of interest and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Parents trust formula and baby food advertisements, which use emotional messages and health and nutrition claims to encourage their consumption. Health professionals consider that claims contribute to the indiscriminate use of formula, and some actors propose the use of plain packaging for these products.ConclusionsBreastmilk substitutes companies promote their products in digital media using unethical strategies that fail to comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. They generate strong conflicts of interest with health professionals, taking advantage of legal framework gaps and the lack of monitoring and effective sanctions for non-compliers. Updating the legal framework and monitoring compliance, including digital media, is urgently needed to protect children’s right to breastfeeding, healthy nutrition and life, and the rights of women to health and informed decision-making.

Analysis of stakeholders’ responses to the food warning labels regulation in Mexico

BackgroundIn Mexico, the inclusion of a front-of-pack label in the Official Mexican Standard 051 (NOM-051 for its Spanish acronym) has been widely discussed for years by different stakeholder groups. In 2019, the NOM-051 modification project was proposed, which included front-of-pack warning labels. To be modified, it underwent a public consultation period where stakeholders sent their comments to be reviewed and considered. The purpose of this study was to analyse the stakeholders’ perspectives during the public consultation of the NOM-051 modification project.MethodsTo assess perspectives, the 795 comments available on the National Commission for Regulatory Improvement website were analysed. Identity, expectations and demands were identified from each comment using content analysis in NVivo. In addition, frequencies and percentages were obtained. ResultsFifty-six percent of the comments were opposed to the NOM-051 modification project. Industry and business interest nongovernmental organizations were against it; they considered that their revenues and profits would be affected. Public interest nongovernmental organizations, academia and health professionals were in favour, stating that the changes proposed are fundamental to informing consumers and improving food choices, and an essential factor in reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Stakeholders in favour expected that eating habits would improve, and demanded that the front-of-pack warning label suggested in the modification proposal be maintained.ConclusionsThe comments opposed to the NOM-051 modification project were consistent with the literature, indicating that food industry stakeholders use all possible arguments to interfere in public health policies. The main issues used by the food industry to discredit the NOM-051 modification project coincide with those used in other countries to stop public health policies and with those used by the tobacco industry to avoid market regulations. On the other hand, those in favour looked after the interests of the Mexican population.

Overstrength of RC Medium Length Span Bridges

Overstrength factors in bridges reported in various studies show great diversity that depends on the type of bridges selected and the set of seismic records used in the analyses. Particularly in Mexico, there are no previous studies that evaluate the bridges’ overstrength. This study determines overstrength factors in medium-length reinforced concrete bridges based on dynamic nonlinear analyses to establish design parameters in bridge regulations in Mexico. More than 3000 nonlinear time history analyses were carried out using 48 bridge models subjected to seismic records from an interplate seismic source. Based on the results, the overstrength factors of simply supported bridges with spans of 30 m and 50 m and substructures composed of one or more reinforced concrete columns were determined.

Epidemiology of Antibiotic Use and Drivers of Cross-Border Procurement in a Mexican American Border Community.

BackgroundThe U.S.-Mexico Border is an area of opportunity for improved health care access; however, gaps remain as to how and where U.S. border residents, particularly those who are underinsured, obtain care. Antibiotics are one of the most common reported drivers of cross-border healthcare access and a medication of particular concern since indiscriminate or inappropriate use is associated with antimicrobial resistance. In addition, many studies assessing preferences for Mexican pharmaceuticals and healthcare in U.S. border residents were done prior to 2010 when many prescription medications, including antibiotics, were available over the counter in Mexico.MethodsData used in this study were collected during the baseline examination of an ongoing longitudinal cohort study in Starr Country, Texas, one of 14 counties on the Texas-Mexico border. Participants self-reported the name, date of use, and the source country of each antibiotic used in the past 12 months. Logistic regression was used to determine social, cultural, and clinical features associated with cross-border procurement of antibiotics.ResultsOver 10% of the study cohort reported using antibiotics in the past 30 days with over 60% of all rounds used in the past 12 months sourced from Mexico. A lack of health insurance and generation score, a measure of acculturation, were the strongest predictors of cross-border procurement of antibiotics.ConclusionsFactors previously associated with cross-border acquisition of antibiotics are still present despite changes in 2010 to prescription drug regulations in Mexico. These results may be used to inform future public health initiatives to provide culturally sensitive education about responsible antibiotic stewardship and to address barriers to U.S. healthcare and pharmaceutical access in medically underserved, impoverished U.S.-Mexico border communities.

Anthropometric Deficit in Normative Minimum Spaces for Housing in Mexico

The dimensions of houses in accordance with housing law, rules and regulations in Mexico are established based on standards without a precise basis in anthropometric requirements. Therefore, equal house prototypes are built in different regions of the country, although the physical characteristics of people are dissimilar. Education and strategies in architect formation require adapted information for house design. Given this scenario, the study's objective is to contrast such metric standardization with the volume of personal space delimited by body segments of population samples in three regions of Mexico. For this, an anthropometric database was generated, considering body mass, height, reach, body mass index, and personal space. Data are integrated concerning minimum dimensions of areas established in the minimum housing regulations, and necessary furniture measures are incorporated. Measurements were sorted by a given number of cases from each city. Similarities and differences between anthropometric data in the samples of three cities and the information that must be considered in the architectonic design were shown. When comparing minimum normative dimensions with anthropometric data and necessary furniture measurements, some volumetric discrepancies are evident. The Housing Law requires humanization, focusing on the inhabitants, their requirements and characteristics as added values of adequate housing. This paper is a new way to introduce the parametric analysis and consideration in Mexico and a basis for laws development.

Analysis of aflatoxin M1 contamination in milk and cheese produced in Mexico: a review

Due to the carcinogenic character of aflatoxins when present in foods, these compounds are considered a risk to human health. This systematic review aimed at compiling the available research data on detection and quantification of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk and common types of cheese produced in Mexico in the past two decades. A limited number of studies were found that matched the purpose of our review. Only ten research works focused on the evaluation of AFM1 content in milk while three studies analysed the occurrence of this mycotoxin in oaxaca and panela cheeses. HPLC-FD and ELISA were the methods of choice utilised to detect AFM1. Concentrations higher than 0.5 μg AFM1/kg, a maximum limit set in current food regulation in Mexico, were found in major dairy brands consumed in Mexico. Analysis of raw milk produced during the rainy season in the states of Jalisco (2007) and Chiapas (2013) showed mycotoxin levels within the regulation limits while milk samples obtained during the dry season in the Mexico City and the State of Mexico (2008) exceeded that threshold. For cheeses, 33% of the artisanal produced oaxaca type samples from Veracruz (2016) and 55% of those acquired in Mexico City (2019) were found above the limit set for milk. In contrast, the panela cheese samples obtained in Baja California and Guanajuato (2009) complied with the AFM1 regulation. Additionally, the presence of AFB1 and its hydroxylated metabolites other than AFM1 were determined in the major milk brands at concentrations that could be of high risk for human health. Similar results were reported for both artisan and industrially produced oaxaca cheese. Finally, mycotoxins enter human food chain through animals fed with contaminated fodder. Our systematic review demonstrated the urgent need to amend the existing food regulation in Mexico to include mycotoxins as potent contaminants in cheese.

Control of antibiotic residues in raw milk in a dairy industry from Jalisco, Mexico: a retrospective study

The current regulation in Mexico is explicit about the prohibition of the presence of antibiotic residues in raw cow's milk. Due to the impact of the presence of antibiotic residues in milk in the production of dairy products, some dairy companies have implemented their own programs to control antibiotic residues to avoid collection of contaminated material. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of the implementation of a program to control the presence of antibiotic residues in raw cow´s milk collected by a big local dairy industry. During the applications of this program, the frequency of contaminated milk containing the two main groups of antibiotics: β-lactams and tetracyclines, in 9 concentration facilities of a local dairy company, with an average size receiving 800,000- 1,000,000 L/day during 5 years. The antibiotic residue detection was performed using SNAP® Beta-Lactam Test and SNAP® Tetracycline Test simultaneously. During the first year, 222 tanks (2,955,538 L) were tested, of them 93 were positive for antibiotic residues (42.11%). In the fifth year, from 889 tanks containing 5,658,062 L only 13 were positive (1.46%), obtaining a reduction rate of 10.16% annual average. When the companies control the presence of inhibitor residues in the raw milk buy the milk, the farmers discard the contaminated milk; however, they sell it even with antibiotics when the buyers do not carry out controls, so this control measure becomes a solution. The results showed a significant decrease in contamination, being a useful solution to the problem of the appearance of antibiotic residues in milk in the raw material of the plant.

Disposable diapers problem and its regulations in Mexico

Disposable diapers are the modern solution to keep babies' skin dry and clean since they are efficient, a single diaper can keep a baby clean and dry for up to eight hours and they are effective due to the manufacturing materials that are waterproof, flexible, resistant and highly absorbent. While these are advantages to the layered design of the disposable diaper, they become barriers that prevent degradation. In Mexico, 14% of the solid waste generated corresponds to this waste. In the present work, a systematic and exhaustive review is made of the trends, regulations, and regulations that govern the commercialization and possible improvements to the disposable diaper considered a product whose usability is highly accepted and disseminated. The foregoing to prospect the development of this product and orient it towards a more sustainable future to manage the relevant innovations and changes in the regulations that correspond to disposable diapers in the framework of development: social, economic, and environmental that raises the 2030 agenda.

The evidence of politics in trans-fatty acid regulation in Mexico.

According to the World Health Organization, coronary heart disease (CHD)-caused deaths accounted for one-fifth of the total deaths in Mexico in 2017. Researches done in the past have confirmed the association between dietary trans-fatty acids (TFA) and CHD. Dietary TFA are mostly derived from industrial-hydrogenated oils, milk products, and meat fats. This paper is a build on of a policy paper done on international policies for TFA in low-to-middle income countries, using Mexico as the case study. This write up, however, aims to critically analyse the TFA regulation policy process in Mexico, evaluating the strength of evidence proposed and identifying the barriers preventing the usage of the evidence for a TFA regulation policy implementation. Although evidence abounds for TFA regulation policy, lack of effective collaboration and communication among the major actors (researchers, policy-makers, and consumers) in Mexico remains a major setback in its implementation.

Enfermedad profesional de los trabajadores del sector salud por COVID-19

Faced with the pressing situation that developed the viral disease better known as COVID-19, it served to highlight the lack of labor regulation in Mexico as an occupational disease for providers of services in the Health Sector. Method: Qualitative Research, through the analysis of scientific publications, which address the issue worldwide, the issue of contagion by Covid-19 in health care personnel. Results: The investigations that deal with the issue of Covid-19 and the personnel of the health sector, focus on the mental situation of the worker, being counted the investigations that deal in depth with the legal and labor situation of the workers in the health service. Conclusion: The lack of regulation of Covid-19 disease, as an occupational disease in the table of occupational diseases indicated in article 513 of the Federal Labor Law, leaves workers in the Health Sector unprotected.

Macroprudential regulation as part of the Mexican policy toolkit

The objective of this work is to assess the effect of implementing countercyclical macroprudential regulation in Mexico with the objective of verify whether this type of policy is welfare-improving. Using a DSGE model, two kinds of macroprudential rules are tested: countercyclical bank capital requirements and countercyclical loan-to-value ratios. Results suggest that these rules are welfare-improving and avoid the formation of credit bubbles as well as facilitate loans in the presence of macroeconomic crises. Results suggest that the use of countercyclical rules is effective in keeping the debt level according to its long-term equilibrium. This paper presents a theoretical framework to analyze banking regulation for policy purposes and is the first attempt to analyze countercyclical regulation in Mexico using a microfounded model. Results can be used to rationalize the use of macroprudential tools during the COVID‑19 pandemic given the current interventions in the Mexican banking system.

Mineralogical and Geochemical Characterization of Talc from Two Mexican Ore Deposits (Oaxaca and Puebla) and Nine Talcs Marketed in Mexico: Evaluation of Its Cosmetic Uses

The detailed mineralogical, physical and chemical characterization of nine samples of imported cosmetic talc and of two samples of talc from currently non-productive Mexican ore deposits (Oaxaca and Puebla States) is presented. The imported cosmetic talc was classified into two groups, considering whether they are packed in the country of origin or in Mexico and considering their price. X-ray diffraction, infrared short wave, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy were used for mineralogical characterization. For the physical characterization, colorimetry and laser granulometry were used. The chemical composition (major, trace elements) was studied by ICP-MS. It was concluded that only the highest priced and imported in packaged form talcs meet the specific purity requirements for a talc of cosmetic type. The talcs that are packed in Mexico and the talc of the studied Mexican deposits present mineralogical and chemical impurities that make their use difficult in the manufacture of high-quality cosmetic talc. The low-price talc should not be sold as cosmetic talc, and the regulations in Mexico on this subject should be reviewed and updated.

Zinc Supplementation and Fortification in Mexican Children.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient for human health. Approximately 1.4% of deaths worldwide are related to zinc deficiency. In Mexico, 33% of children younger than 5 years are zinc deficient. To give an overview of zinc supplementation and fortification in children younger than 5 years through the analysis of current regulations in Mexico, the availability of these products, and the opinion of Mexican experts in this field. We gave an overview of zinc supplementation and fortification strategies in the Mexican pediatric population by conducting a literature review of Mexican studies and national standards concerning zinc supplementation and fortification. Semistructured interviews were conducted with personnel from the main producers of zinc supplements and fortified products and from social assistance programs in Mexico. Zinc supplementation in Mexico has been associated with reduction in the duration and incidence of diarrhea. Through interviews with experts, we identified several barriers in achieving adequate zinc consumption such as problems in social assistance programs that distribute zinc-fortified foods, lack of specific dietary recommendations regarding the intake of zinc, lack of regulation of nonpatented zinc supplements, and inconsistencies in public health actions due to political and administrative changes. Despite current regulation and efforts made by social assistance programs, zinc deficiency continues to be a prevalent public health issue. Mexico requires an in-depth analysis of existing barriers and alternatives in order to reduce zinc deficiency.

Informality and Aggregate Productivity

We assess the aggregate productivity impact of distortions arising from labor regulations in Mexico and how they interact with informality. Using employment surveys and a firm-level economic census, we document a number of novel features about informal firms in Mexico. We then construct and estimate a model of heterogeneous firms and endogenous informality to study the micro and macro impacts from various policy reforms. Some reforms may have large impacts on informal employment but small impacts on aggregate productivity.

Energy and Thermal Performance of Social Housing: Analysis of Heat Flow Through the Envelope and Comparison With International Schemes

Abstract Some of the greatest potentials for improving building energy efficiency are found in the residential sector. Social housing, in particular, has drawn heavy research interest because it affects the welfare of large populations, is the source of significant energy consumption, and has outsize importance in the construction and regulatory sectors. Energy regulation in Mexico focuses on reducing the energy needed to cool buildings down, neglecting the importance of heating buildings built in the colder regions of the country. To address this gap, the present work focuses on the thermal behavior of social housing in the regions of Mexico with cold semi-arid climate. We found that thermal discomfort inside houses is primarily driven by low temperatures. We calculated annual heat flows in houses, visualizing heat gains and losses through each part of the building envelopes, and found that the highest heat flows occur through the floor. We also found that windows have the greatest heat transfer per unit area of all construction elements. We estimated the energy that each building would require if heating and air conditioning were used throughout the year to bring indoor temperatures within the range of thermal comfort. Finally, we used evaluation schemas from several countries to evaluate the energy demand per unit area (kWh/m2) of several local houses in a typical year. The houses analyzed here presented low scores under these schemas.