Bill mandating shops to charge for plastic bags sent to Committee

The bill mandating shops to charge for plastic bags which was previously given to customers for free, and handing over monies earned from the sale to Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has been forwarded to Parliament’s Environment and Climate Change Committee.

At today’s parliamentary sitting, the Waste Management Bill submitted by Komandoo MP Mohamed Rashid, on behalf of the government, was approved to be sent to the Committee with the unanimous votes of 33 members who took part in the vote.

The purpose of the bill is to plan, operate and oversee waste management in a sustainable manner and set down regulations pertaining to waste management. As per the bill, all businesses must charge MVR 2 from customers when giving away plastic bags.

However, charges are exempt for some types of plastic bags.

Plastic bags that would be exempt from charges

•         Plastic bags given at duty free shops
•         Unsealed plastic bags used for raw fish
•         Unsealed plastic bags used for stapled foods
•         Bundles containing 50 or more plastic bags
•         Plastic bags sold to waste management authorities to be used for waste management purposes

As per the bill, charges should be enforced on plastic bags within one month period after the law comes into force. Receipts issued to customers must show that they have been charged for the plastic bag given.  

The bill also states that businesses registered for GST with MIRA must hand over monies earned from the sale of plastic bags to the authority.

Apart from this, the bill proposing amendments to Utility Regulatory Authority Act in order to address issues faced in billing – mandating the formulated of a regulation penning down guidelines pertaining to billing had also been forwarded to Environment and Climate Change Committee.

The bill was approved to be sent to the Committee by the unanimous votes of 39 members who participated in the vote.

The bill was submitted on behalf of the government, by Kelaa MP Ibrahim Shareef.

MP Shareef said that the bill was submitted to ease difficulties faced by customers in making payments for general services attained due to different billing cycles adopted by different service providers.

The amendments proposed states that the regulatory authority must formulate the regulation providing guidelines for service providers on billing customers. It also stresses that the regulation must stipulate rules on establishing equivalent billing cycles. The regulation must also detail circumstances where easements can be provided in paying bills as well as rules on enforcing fines for non-payment of bills.