UNEP would like to thank the World Resources Institute, the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University and the University of Strathclyde for their invaluable assistance with the collation of these laws, as well as its long-standing partner FAOLEX.

 

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  • Australia (6)
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Regulatory Approach

  • Bans and restrictions
  • Economic instruments (taxes, levies, subsidies)
  • Extended producer responsibility (EPR)
  • Product standards, certification and labelling requirements
  • Waste management legislation
  • Combined actions

Year

Law and Plastics Taxonomy

  • Compliance and enforcement (188)
    • Enforcement (180)
    • Verification of compliance (29)
  • Emissions and releases (72)
    • Impacts (7)
    • Littering (18)
    • Marine litter (41)
      • Marine plastic litter (5)
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  • Plastic materials and production (156)
    • Microplastics (23)
      • Primary microplastics (8)
        • Microbeads (8)
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    • Plastic polymers (139)
      • Synthetic polymers (88)
        • Polyethylene terephthalate (27)
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          • Polyethylene (33)
          • Polypropylene (36)
        • Polystyrene (60)
          • Styrofoam (2)
        • Polyvinyl chloride (4)
    • Plastics (4)
  • Plastics types (25)
    • Bioplastics (3)
    • Oxo-degradable plastics (23)
    • Thermoplastics (2)
  • Policy approaches (247)
    • Circular economy (26)
    • Economic instruments (124)
      • Deposit-refund schemes (24)
      • Fines (28)
      • Fiscal incentives (24)
        • Subsidies (1)
      • Taxes (53)
        • Levies (43)
    • Extended Producer Responsibility (70)
    • Just transition (3)
    • Life-cycle approach (19)
      • Life-cycle assessment (8)
      • Life cycle (1)
    • Product bans (75)
      • Plastic bag bans (2)
    • Regulatory impact assessments (1)
  • Problematic and avoidable plastic products (292)
    • Exempted products (9)
    • Short-lived plastic products (290)
      • Plastic packaging (262)
        • Plastic carrier bags (195)
          • Lightweight plastic carrier bags (8)
          • Very lightweight plastic carrier bags (39)
        • Plastic containers (5)
          • Plastic beverage containers (4)
          • Plastic food containers (1)
        • Plastic sheets (1)
        • Recyclable packaging (57)
        • Reusable packaging (45)
      • Single-use plastic products (112)
        • Disposable cups (1)
        • Personal protective equipment (2)
        • Plastic straws (12)
        • Plastic utensils (2)
  • Product design, composition and performance (177)
    • Alternative plastics and plastic products (109)
      • Bio-based plastics (1)
      • Biodegradable plastics (92)
        • Compostable plastics (53)
    • Product design and performance (81)
      • Certification (37)
      • Labelling (51)
      • Recyclability (1)
      • Thickness (2)
    • Product standardization (22)
      • Product design standards (13)
        • Design for recycling (1)
        • Eco-design (3)
  • Stakeholder engagement (35)
    • Consultations (6)
    • Waste pickers (9)
  • Waste management (561)
    • Dumping (5)
      • Ocean dumping (1)
      • Open dumping (1)
    • Environmentally sound waste management (1)
    • Fishing gear (6)
    • Integrated coastal zone management (8)
    • Transboundary movement of plastic waste (9)
      • Waste export (9)
    • Waste (418)
      • Domestic waste (43)
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        • Toxic waste (23)
      • Medical waste (14)
      • Organic waste (1)
      • Plastic waste (260)
      • Solid waste (1)
    • Waste collection (59)
    • Waste disposal (131)
    • Waste management facilities (4)
      • Disposal facilities (1)
    • Waste management hierarchy (160)
    • Waste management plans (2)
    • Waste minimization (6)
      • Reuse (4)
    • Waste prevention (64)
    • Waste streams (1)
    • Waste treatment and processing (88)
      • Polymer degradation (1)
      • Resource recovery (87)
        • Recycling (87)
Showing 1 - 10 of 37 results
Legislation
| 2022 |
Colombia
Law 2232 of 2022

With the goal of safeguarding the fundamental rights to life, health, and enjoyment of a clean environment, measures are hereby established to reduce the production and consumption of single use plastics in the national territory, provisions set forth to permit their eventual substitution by sustainable alternatives as well as their reuse, and complementary measures further established.

Keywords
Alternative plastics and plastic products, Biodegradable plastics, Certification, Circular economy, Eco-design , Economic instruments, Enforcement, Extended Producer Responsibility, Fiscal incentives, Just transition, Labelling, Life-cycle approach, Life-cycle assessment, Lightweight plastic carrier bags, Oxo-degradable plastics, Plastic carrier bags, Plastic packaging, Plastic straws, Product bans, Recycling, Single-use plastic products, Stakeholder engagement, Subsidies, Verification of compliance, Waste management, Waste management hierarchy, Waste pickers, Waste prevention
Legislation
| 2021 |
Chile
Law N°21.368 Limiting the Generation of Disposable Products and Regulating Plastics

The present law has as its object the protection of the environment and the reduction of waste, limiting delivery of single-use products to retail alimentary establishments, promoting reuse and certification of single-use plastics, and regulating expendable plastic bottles.

Keywords
Alternative plastics and plastic products, Certification, Circular economy, Deposit-refund schemes , Enforcement, Labelling, Littering, Plastic straws, Product bans, Recycling, Single-use plastic products, Stakeholder engagement, Verification of compliance, Waste prevention
Legislation
| 2020 |
Australia
Recycling and Waste Reduction Act

An Act to reduce the environmental and other impacts of products and waste material, and for related purposes

Keywords
Certification, Enforcement, Product design standards, Product standardization, Waste management
Regulation
| 2020 |
Mauritius
Environment Protection (Control of single-use plastics Products) Regulations

No person shall import for home consumption, manufacture, possess, sell, supply or use any non-biodegradable single-use plastics products as specified. - Regulation of single use plastic pollution

Keywords
Biodegradable plastics, Certification, Circular economy, Exempted products, Product bans, Single-use plastic products
Regulation
| 2020 |
Mauritius
​Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2020​

These regulations, amending the 2001 Environmental Act, are intended to prohibit plastic bags. Subject to paragraph (2) and regulation 5, no person shall possess, use, distribute, sell, export, import, manufacture or supply a plastic bag. Yet, the Minister may, if it is in the public interest to do so, or in the case of a disaster or pandemic, allow the import, manufacture, sale or supply of a...

Keywords
Biodegradable plastics, Plastic carrier bags, Polymer degradation, Product bans, Compostable plastics, Certification, Waste
Regulation
| 2019 |
Seychelles
Environment Protection (Restriction on the manufacturing, importation, distribution and sale of Plastic Straws) Regulation, 2019 (S.I. No. 31 of 2019).

These Regulations, made under the Environment Protection, 2016 by the Minister responsible for Environment, prohibit the manufacturing, importation, distribution and sale of plastic straws for use within the Republic of Seychelles but allows import permits to be issued for non-plastic straws by the Ministry responsible for Finance and Trade subject to the approval of the Ministry responsible for...

Keywords
Biodegradable plastics, Certification, Compostable plastics, Extended Producer Responsibility, Plastic polymers, Plastic straws, Product bans, Waste management, Waste prevention
Legislation
| 2018 |
Sierra Leone
Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2018 (No.10 of 2018).

This Act provides general rules relating to commercial and artisanal fishing by nationals of Sierra Leone wherever they are (beyond the fisheries waters, including fishing on the high seas or in waters under the jurisdiction of another State) and commercial fishing by foreigners in the fisheries waters of Sierra Leone and rules relating to aquaculture. The Act consists of 92 sections divided into...

Keywords
Consultations, Fines, Hazardous waste, Pollution of the marine environment, Stakeholder engagement, Toxic waste, Certification, Enforcement, Fishing gear
Regulation
| 2018 |
Nigeria
Nigerian Communications Industry E-Waste Regulations

Implementation of EPR for manufacturers, vendors and bulk consumers.

Keywords
Certification, Circular economy, Deposit-refund schemes , Eco-design , Economic instruments, Extended Producer Responsibility, Hazardous waste, Life-cycle approach, Verification of compliance, Waste collection, Waste disposal, Waste management, Waste prevention