In November 2020, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih passed a measure to ban single-use plastics. It was drafted by an assorted committee of experts, civil society representatives, and policymakers and is born from rigorous public and stakeholder consultation sessions.
The move is an attempt to control the massive amounts of litter generated by the famous tourist destination, damaging its precious marine ecosystems and the well-being of the entire planet. The new law makes it illegal to import certain plastic items.
On December 22, 2020, the first step of the phase-out plan began with the ratification of the 18th Amendment Bill to the Export-Import Act of Maldives. This bill bestows the president with the authority to compile a list of goods classified as SUPs banned from import. He can also publicize the choices and add or remove items from that list as he sees fit.
In June of this year, the primary phase of elimination will begin. Not all things will be banned all at once. It’s a process that will carry on through to 2023. First to go will be straws, cutleries, plates, stirrers, 30×30 cm plastic carrier bags, Styrofoam lunch boxes, betel nuts in plastic wrapping, below 500ml PET beverage bottles, below 250ml coffee cups, 50 ml and smaller toiletry bottles, and cotton wool buds.
As of December 2022, the importation of 50-200 ml toiletry bottles, one-liter PET beverage bottles, and plastic carrier bags below 50-micron thickness will be prohibited.
The government also plans to increase awareness by starting an Extended Producer Responsibility program. Furthermore, it will also take strategic actions to strengthen the collection and recycling of single-use plastics, and policy measures will be introduced to improve the producer responsibility for single-use plastics.
Bold action such as this will help stop once and for all the tons of plastic that ends up polluting the oceans every day, harming valuable natural ecosystems. The Maldives’ officials hope that other countries will come together and execute similar measures. If every nation would act now, we’ll have a better chance at facing one of the worst problems plaguing the planet in recent years.
Meanwhile, also in the Maldives, Kunfunadhoo is set to become the world’s first mosquito-free island.
