Use of styrofoam and its related products to stop by July 2021

The use of styrofoam and its related polystyrene products has to stop by July 2021.

This comes after the amendment of the Environment Management Act 2005 in parliament.

While speaking on the bill, Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the new section prohibits the manufacture, sale, supply, distribution or use of polystyrene products from 1st January 2021. However a grace period from 1st January 2021 to 31st July 2021 is set out to allow businesses most affected by the polystyrene ban to exhaust their current stock.

Under the bill, a person who manufactures a polystyrene product commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $500,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 7 years or both.

The bill also states that a person who sells, supplies or distributes a polystyrene product to another person, or makes a polystyrene product available to a customer for carrying goods purchased, or to be purchased from a retailer commits an offence, and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $150,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or both.