President ratifies amendment exempting bulk plastic bag packs from MVR 2 fee

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday ratified an amendment to the Waste Management Act exempting bulk packs containing more than 50 plastic bags from the MVR 2 plastic bag fee.

Parliament passed the amendment last Monday before sending the bill to the President for ratification.

The Waste Management Act, introduced during the previous administration, imposed a fee of MVR 2 on each plastic bag. As the fee applied to each bag when plastic bags were sold in packs, the measure increased the cost of purchasing bags in bulk.

Before the latest amendment, the law provided exemptions for three categories of plastic bags: bags sold or provided by duty-free shops, bags used to pack unpackaged fresh fish, and bin liners sold or provided for waste disposal by waste management service providers or other authorities.

The amendment adds bulk packs containing more than 50 plastic bags to the list of exemptions.

The changes also require businesses that are not registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) to collect the plastic bag fee when providing bags to customers.

The relevant ministry is required to ensure that businesses not registered for GST collect the fee. It must also formulate regulations within one year setting out how revenue collected through the levy will be used.

The amendment also changes provisions governing the import of waste. Importing any form of waste into the Maldives is now classified as an offence. Under the previous provisions, waste could be imported with permission from the Environment Regulatory Authority.

Changes have also been made to rules governing hazardous waste and its components.

Under the amended law, hazardous waste and its derivatives may be used or sold in the Maldives with permission from the Environment Regulatory Authority and in accordance with regulations issued by the ministry.

Such activities were previously prohibited under the Act.