The government has proposed an amendment to the Waste Management Act to impose a total ban on the importation of waste into the Maldives and to provide relief from the current plastic bag levy.
The bill was introduced to Parliament on behalf of the government by Ungoofaaru MP Ibrahim Shifaz. The biggest change proposed in the bill is the removal of the MVR 2 fee on wholesale packs containing 50 or more plastic bags.
Once the amendment is passed, the MVR 2 fee will no longer be applicable to the wholesale purchase of plastic bags.
Under the current law, the MVR 2 fee is levied twice: first when a wholesaler imports or purchases bags, and again when a retail customer purchases an individual bag from a shop.
Speaking to Adhadhu, Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham explained that the lack of exemptions in the law had led to a spike in the price of plastic bags.
"When the MVR 2 fee was included in the law, there were no exemptions. So importers were charging wholesalers the MVR 2 fee, wholesalers were charging retailers the same, and retailers were then charging customers MVR 2 per bag," Usham said.
He noted that once the proposed amendment is passed, this will change, and wholesalers will no longer be required to charge the fee to retailers.
Previously, the MVR 2 plastic bag fee was exempted in only three cases:
- Plastic bags sold or provided from duty-free shops
- Plastic bags used for carrying all types of fresh, unpackaged fish.
- "Bin liners" sold or distributed for waste disposal by waste management service providers or other relevant authorities.
The bill’s cost estimate suggests that exempting wholesale packs of 50 or more bags from the levy will result in a decrease in state revenue.
According to the data provided, the state has collected MVR 2,011,421 from the plastic bag fee so far this year. Last year, the total revenue generated from the levy amounted to MVR 5.9 million.
Furthermore, the bill proposes an amendment to Section 44 of the Waste Management Act. This amendment seeks to establish a total prohibition on the importation of any type of waste into the Maldives by any party.
Under the current legal framework, waste can be imported into the Maldives with special permission from the ministry, provided it complies with regulations.
