The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has announced plans to amend the law to remove the MVR 2 fee charged on the wholesale sale of plastic bag bundles.

Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office, Director of Waste Management Ahmed Murthaza said the ministry identified that the levy, introduced to reduce the use of single-use plastics, is currently being charged twice before reaching consumers.

He explained that wholesalers are adding MVR 2 to the price of each plastic bag before selling them to retailers, who then apply the same fee when selling the bags to customers. The proposed amendment aims to address this issue by removing the wholesale-level charge.

Murthaza also revealed that the ministry plans to amend waste management regulations, including provisions restricting the transportation of waste between islands. He said the current restrictions have created difficulties in managing waste, particularly when waste needs to be transferred to other islands for proper treatment or disposal.

The proposed changes will define the circumstances under which waste can be transported between islands and establish guidelines for such operations.