RESTRICTIONS ON PLACING ON THE MARKET OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS [S.L. 549.140 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 549.140
RESTRICTIONS ON PLACING ON THE MARKET OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS REGULATIONS
30th December, 2020
LEGAL NOTICE 481 of 2020.
Citation. 1. The title of these regulations is the Restrictions on
Placing on the Market of Single- Use Plastic Products Regulation s.
Scope. 2. (1) These regulations bring into effect Article 5 and
Articles 6(1) and (2) of Directiv e (EU) 2019/904 of the Europea n
Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction o f the
impact of certain plastic p roducts on the environment.
(2) The Environment and Resources Authority and the
Customs Department shall collaborate and cooperate in enforcingthese regulations.
Interpretation. 3. In these regulations, unles s the context otherwise
requires:
"making available on the market" means any supply of a
product for distribution, consumption or use on the market of M alta in
the course of a commercial activity, whether in return for paym ent or
free of charge;
"oxo-degradable plastic" means plastic materials that include
additives which, through oxidation, lead to the fragmentation o f the
plastic material into micro-frag ments or to chemical decomposit ion;
S.L. 549. 43."packaging" means packaging as defined in regulation 3(1) of
the Waste Management (Packaging and Packaging Waste)Regulations;
"placing on the market" means the first making available of a
product on the market of Malta;
"plastic" means a material consisting of a polymer as defined i n
point 5 of Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, to whichadditives or other substances may have been added, and which ca n
function as a main structural component of final products, with  t h e
exception of natural polymers that have not been chemically mod ified;
"single-use plastic product" m eans a product that is made
wholly or partly from plastic and that is not conceived, design ed or
placed on the market to accomplish, within its life span, multi ple trips
or rotations by being returned t o a producer for refill or re-u sed for the
same purpose for whi ch it was conceived;
2[S.L. 549.140RESTRICTIONS ON PLACING ON THE MARKET OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS
Prohibitions on 
placing on the market.4. (1) As from 1 January 2021, the placing on the market
of the single-use plastic product s listed in Part A of the Sche dule and of
products made from oxo-degradable  plastic shall be prohibited.
(2) As from 3 July 2024, the placing on the market of the
single-use plastic products liste d in Part B of the Schedule th at have
caps and lids made of plas tic shall be prohibited:
Provided that single-use plastic products listed in Part B
of the Schedule may be exempt from such prohibition only if the  caps
and lids remain attached to the containers during the products’  intended
use stage:
 Provided further that for the purposes of this sub-
regulation, metal caps or lids w ith plastic seals shall not be considered
to be made of plastic.
Offences and 
penalties.5. (1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply
with the prohibitions under regu lation 4, shall, on conviction,  be guilty
of an offence under these regulations.
(2) Any person who commits or attempts to commit an
offence against these regulati ons shall, on conviction, be liab le:
(a) on a first conviction to a fine (multa) not exceeding
one thousand five hundred euro (€1,500);
(b) on a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine
(multa) not exceeding two thousand five hundred euro (€2,500):
Provided that the court shal l order any person who has
been found guilty of committing an offence against these regula tions to
pay for the expenses incurred by any of the competent authoriti es as a
result of the said offence and shall moreover order the confisc ation of
the products to which the offence relates, even though the owne r
thereof may not be a party to the proceedings.
Cap. 9. (3) The provisions of article 23 and 30(1) of the Criminal
Code shall, mutatis mutandis , apply to proceedings in respect of
offences against these regulations.
RESTRICTIONS ON PLACING ON THE MARKET OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS [S.L. 549.140 3
SCHEDULE
(regulation 4)
Single-use Plastic Products Covere d by the Prohibition on Placi ng on 
the Market
Part A
(a) Cotton bud sticks, except if they fall within the scope of
Council Directive 90/385/EEC or  Council Directive 93/42/EEC;
(b) Cutlery (forks, kni ves, spoons, chopsticks);
(c) Plates;
(d) Straws, except if they fall within the scope of Directive
90/385/EEC or Directive 93/42/EEC;
(e) Beverage stirrers;(f) Sticks to be attached to and to support balloons, except
balloons for industrial or other p rofessional uses and applicat ions that
are not distributed to consumers,  including the mechanisms of s uch
sticks;
(g) Food containers made of expanded polystyrene, i.e.
receptacles such as boxes, with or without a cover, used to con tain
food which:
- is intended for immediate consumption, either on-the-
spot or take-away,
- is typically consumed fro m the receptacle, and
- is ready to be consumed without any further preparation,
such as cooking, boiling or heating, 
including food containers used fo r fast food or other meal read y
for immediate consumption, except beverage containers, plates a nd
packets and wrappers containing food;
(h) Beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene,
including their caps and lids;
(i) Cups for beverages made of expanded polystyrene,
including their covers and lids.
Part B
Beverage containers with a capacity of up to three litres, i.e.
receptacles used to contain liquid, such as beverage bottles in cluding
their caps and lids and composite beverage packaging including their
4[S.L. 549.140RESTRICTIONS ON PLACING ON THE MARKET OF 
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS
caps and lids, but not:
- glass or metal beverage conta iners that have caps and lids
made from plastic; and
- beverage containers intended and used for food for
special medical purposes as defined in point (g) of Article 2 o f
Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of t he
Council (3) that is in liquid form.