President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has amended Presidential Decree No. 17/2024, revising the national timeline for phasing out certain single-use plastics considered harmful to the environment, following recommendations from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment. Under the latest changes, the prohibition on the packaging, production, and import of single-use plastic water bottles sized between 500 ml and 1 litre, previously set to take effect on 1 December 2025, has now been postponed by two years to 1 December 2027. The related ban on the sale of plastic water bottles in the same size category has also been deferred, shifting from 1 March 2026 to 1 June 2028. These amendments have been incorporated into Presidential Decree No. 35/2025, which specifies the list of single-use plastics deemed detrimental to the environment, and have been published in the Government Gazette.
For the Maldives’ tourism-driven economy, where resorts, hotels, and liveaboards remain among the largest consumers of bottled water, the revised timeline is expected to have significant operational implications. Many luxury resorts have already begun investing in on-island water bottling plants, glass bottling systems, and refillable container schemes to align with global sustainability expectations. The additional transition period gives properties that are still dependent on imported plastic bottles more room to assess capital investments, reconfigure storage and supply chains, and fine-tune guest-facing service models that prioritise refill and reuse over single-use plastics. For high-occupancy resorts, particularly those catering to premium and ultra-luxury markets, the extended deadline can help ensure that upgrades to infrastructure, such as reverse osmosis systems, in-villa carafes, and centralised bottling facilities, are budgeted and implemented with minimal disruption to guest experience.
The deferment also provides breathing space for mid-market resorts and guesthouses operating on tighter margins, especially in outer atolls where logistics and freight costs are relatively higher. These operators now have additional time to negotiate contracts with suppliers of alternative packaging, explore shared bottling facilities, and align procurement strategies with evolving regulatory requirements. At the same time, the new dates maintain a clear policy signal that the government expects the tourism and hospitality sector to continue reducing its plastic footprint and to prepare for an economy where small single-use plastic bottles are no longer part of the standard service offering. For properties that compete on sustainability credentials, early adoption of plastic-free solutions is likely to remain a differentiating factor in attracting environmentally conscious travellers.
From an environmental perspective, the amendment does not reverse the country’s long-term direction on plastics, but it does recalibrate the pace at which the final category of small water bottles will be removed from the market. Previous measures have already phased out a number of single-use plastic items, and the latest decree focuses specifically on adjusting the implementation dates for the last remaining category of bottled water within the 500 ml to 1 litre range. For the tourism sector, which depends heavily on pristine beaches and healthy marine ecosystems as core value propositions, the continued commitment to phasing out these products remains closely linked to brand reputation, guest satisfaction, and long-term destination resilience.
As the new timeline takes effect under Presidential Decree No. 35/2025, tourism stakeholders are expected to intensify planning and collaboration with suppliers, regulators, and environmental partners to meet the updated deadlines. Resorts that leverage this extended window to invest in robust, guest-friendly alternatives, such as branded glass bottles, refill stations, and visible waste-reduction initiatives, are well positioned to strengthen their sustainability narratives while complying with upcoming regulatory milestones.
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