Gov’t Extends Deadlines for Single-Use Plastic Bottle Prohibition

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has amended Presidential Decree No. 17/2024 on Tuesday, delaying the planned prohibition on the packaging, production, import and sale of single-use plastic water bottles between 500 ml and 1 litre.

The President’s Office said the amendment was made on the recommendation of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, revising the timeline set under the decree, which identifies categories of single-use plastics considered harmful to the environment.

Under the updated provisions, the ban on the packaging, production and import of single-use plastic water bottles in the specified size range has been postponed from 1 December 2025 to 1 December 2027. The prohibition on the sale of the same products has also been deferred, moving from the previous date of 1 March 2026 to 1 June 2028.

The changes have been incorporated into Presidential Decree No. 35/2025, which outlines the list of single-use plastics deemed detrimental to the environment. The revised decree has been published in the Government Gazette.