A fee will be charged for plastic bags sold or supplied to customers at the point of sale, effective today.
A fee of MVR 2 per plastic bag will be charged under the Waste Management Act. The fee is applicable to all plastic bags sold or provided to customers by all businesses.
The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) gazetted the "Rules for Charge of Plastic Bags by GST Registered Persons" on February 22. According to MIRA, a fee of MVR 2 per bag will be charged for plastic bags sold both in bulk and separately.
The plastic bag fee will not be charged on bags sold or supplied by duty-free shops or plastic bags used to carry unpacked fresh meat or fish. Bin liners sold or issued by waste management service providers or other relevant authorities for waste disposal are also exempt from the fee.
According to the Waste Management Act, GST-registered businesses are required to submit information on the number of plastic bag fees charged and pay the amount to MIRA. The information should be included in the GST return. The deadline for the submission of the information and payment is the deadline for submitting the GST return.
