The single use plastic ban; an environmental life raft
The ban on a total of eight types of single use plastics has now come into effect; in line with the Presidential Decree issued in December 2020.
MFR Graphic
From 1 June 2021, a total of eight types of single use plastic products will be banned in the Maldives, when a Presidential Decree, issued in December 2020, come into effect.
However, with the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic still looming, President Solih issued another Decree on 31 May 2021 amending the original list of banned items. The administration has now chosen to introduce a gradual phasing out of single use plastics instead.
By 1 June 2021 products made with single use plastic such as; straws, utensils and dinnerware, cups below 250ml, water bottles below 500ml, cotton-buds and toiletries items with less than 50ml, shopping bags smaller than 30cm and supari packaged in plastic are listed as under the import ban. This list is set to expand even further and by the end of December this year will include styrofoam food packaging.
A year later, in June 2022, bottles exceeding 500ml will be banned — this category will disregard water bottled in single use plastic packaging but, importantly, will include all other beverages. Beginning December 2022, the list will extend to plastic shopping bags that are thinner than 50 microns and toiletries packaged in single use plastics exceeding 50ml and under 200ml. Finally, in December 2023, the import of water bottles of one liter and below will be banned.
With the ever improving technologies of water filtration systems, it is seen both as more environmentally conscious and more cost effective to invest in long term solutions water systems. Until quite recently, and even though The Maldives has been a largely eco-conscious society, people were simply unable to commit expensive solutions due to a variety of financial restraints and community constraints.
In the long run the rejection of single use plastic introduces more advantages than disadvantages — in terms of waste management, sustainability and environmental protection. While the phased roll-out of the ban will undoubtedly introduce more sustainable alternatives and a more practicable, environmentally lower impact, lifestyle, one thing is for certain; the Maldives still has a long way to go in terms of overcoming the dependency on single use plastics
