The Parliament has passed an amendment to the Waste Management Act to prohibit the import of waste into the Maldives and remove the MVR 2 fee on bags containing more than 50 plastic bags.
The amendment, submitted by Uguoofaaru MP Ibrahim Shifaz on behalf of the government, was passed with 64 votes in favour.
Under the existing law, a MVR 2 charge is imposed on plastic bags. The charge applies to traders purchasing bags wholesale as well as customers receiving individual bags from shops.
The amendment removes the MVR 2 charge for bags containing more than 50 plastic bags. The fee was introduced under the previous administration.
The existing law provides exemptions for plastic bags sold or supplied by duty-free shops, unsealed plastic bags used for fresh meat, and “binline” bags sold or issued by waste management service providers or other relevant authorities for waste disposal.
The government’s cost estimate for the amendment states that exempting bags containing more than 50 plastic bags will reduce state revenue from the plastic bag fee. More than MVR 2 million has been collected through the fee so far this year, while the government collected MVR 5.9 million in 2025.
The amendment also changes Section 44 of the Waste Management Act to prohibit the import of any type of waste into the Maldives.
Under the current legislation, waste may be imported with a permit issued by the relevant ministry in accordance with regulations established by the ministry. The amendment removes this provision and introduces a blanket prohibition on the import of waste.
Parliament also accepted amendments submitted by Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer on behalf of the government to increase the withholding tax rate on payments made to non-resident contractors from five per cent to 10 per cent. The bill was subsequently sent to the Committee of the Whole House for further review.
Separately, Parliament passed an amendment to the National Payment System Act submitted by Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid, with 66 MPs voting in favour.
An amendment to the Utility Regulatory Act was also passed today’s sitting with 61 votes. The bill, submitted by Vilifushi MP Hassan Waheed on behalf of the government, seeks to establish a Utility Regulatory Authority.
