CONSULTATION BRIEF
Start date: 28 October 2020
Closing date: 26 November 2020
Title of the public consultation: Restrictions on Placing on the Market of Single-Use Plastic Products Regulations, 2020
Ministry: Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning
Entity: Environment & Resources Authority
- Background
As part of the 2020 Budget speech, the Government announced a new measure whereby the importation, production, sale and distribution of certain single use plastic (SUP) items, namely cutlery, straws and plates will be prohibited. More specifically, the Government announced that the importation and production of such SUP items will be prohibited as from 1st January 2021, whilst their selling and distribution will be prohibited as from 1st January 2022.
In 2019, the EU adopted the SUP Directive (Directive 2019/904), which aims at reducing the environmental impact of certain SUP products and other plastic items on the environment, by means of enacting a number of effective measures targeting the said products. The Directive in question restricts the placement on the market of a number of SUP items, including the above mentioned.
The draft Restrictions on Placing on the Market of Single-Use Plastic Products Regulations, 2020 implement part of the said Budget measure whilst also transposing Article 5 and Article 6 (1) and 6 (2) of the SUP Directive.
Since these regulations restrict the placement on the market of certain SUP products, they will be enacted under both the Supplies and Services Act (Chapter 117 of the Laws of Malta) and the Environment Protection Act (Chapter 549 of the Laws of Malta) to ensure joint cooperation in enforcement of the proposed regulations by Customs Department and the Environment and Resources Authority.
These regulations prohibit the placement on the market of:
- The SUP items listed in Part A of the Schedule and of products made from oxo-degradable plastic as from 1st January 2021. Such SUP items include cutlery, straws, plates, cotton bud sticks, beverage stirrers, balloon sticks as well as food or beverage containers and cups made of expanded polystyrene;
- The SUP items listed in Part B of the schedule as from 3rd July 2024. Such SUP items include plastic and composite beverage containers with a capacity of up to three litres. Such containers might be exempt from such prohibition if the plastic caps and lids remain attached to the containers during their use.
- Consultation
In line with Article 55 of the Environment Protection Act (Cap. 549) the public is invited to make submissions to ERA with their comments as to why and how these regulations could be amended.
- Documents
Restrictions on Placing on the Market of Single-Use Plastic Products Regulations, 2020
Public Submissions and Responses
- Submission of feedback
Comments will be received by email on [email protected].
- Further notes
Please be informed that comments submitted, together with the identity of the contributor, may be published online at the end of the public consultation, unless the contributor objects to the publication of his/her personal data. In this case, the contribution may be published in anonymous form.
