Environment
Taking into account the quality of paper straws and the resulting health and usability difficulties, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu decided through Presidential Decree No. 15/2026 issued on 19 September 2026 to postpone the ban on the import of single-use plastic straws to 1 June 2031, and the ban on manufacturing and selling them in the Maldives to 19 December 2031. Under this decree, the ban on the import and manufacturing of water packaged in plastic bottles between 500 milliliters and 1 liter was also postponed until 1 December 2029.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has brought changes to the list of single-use plastic items that harm the environment through a decree issued on September 19, 2026. Under this amendment, the government has re-permitted the import, manufacture, and sale of plastic straws, which were previously banned from being imported and produced in the Maldives. Additionally, June 1, 2031, has been designated as the new date banning the import of single-use plastic straws into the Maldives, and the date completely prohibiting their manufacture and release into the market has been postponed to December 19, 2031. This ease was decided following consultations with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in order to provide a solution to the issue of paper straws dissolving quickly in liquids and the difficulties faced by the public as a result.