President Muizzu Defers Single-Use Plastic Bans Until 2031

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has pushed back several deadlines for restrictions on single-use plastics, citing recommendations from the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy. The decision, formalized under Presidential Decree No. 15/2026, provides a significant extension for the phase-out of several common plastic items. Under the new decree, the ban on importing single-use plastic drinking straws—originally slated for June 2021—has been deferred to June 1, 2031. Similarly, the prohibition on the domestic production and sale of these straws has been moved from December 2022 to December 19, 2031. The government has also revised the timeline for plastic water bottles ranging from 500 millilitres to one litre. The prohibition on the import and production of these bottles is now deferred to December 1, 2029, while the ban on their sale has been extended to June 1, 2030. In a shift of policy regarding smaller containers, the decree modifies the size threshold for certain plastic bottles from 500 millilitres down to 250 millilitres. This change triggers an immediate ban on the import, production, and sale of pre-packaged beverages in plastic bottles smaller than 250 millilitres, though bottled water remains exempt from this specific immediate restriction. These amendments to the list of plastics deemed harmful to the environment have been officially published in the Government Gazette. The move suggests a calibration of environmental goals against economic and logistical realities, giving businesses and importers a longer window to transition to sustainable alternatives.