Muscat: Muscat: The Environment Authority (EA) has made a decision to gradually eradicate all forms of plastic shopping bags in Oman within a specified timeframe.
EA issued a decision 2024/8 to ban use of plastic shopping bags based on the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Law issued by Royal Decree 114/2001 and Royal Decree No106/2020 establishing the Environment Authority, and Ministerial Decision 2020/23 regarding ban on single-use plastic shopping bags.
Article 1 of the decision states that companies, institutions, and individuals are prohibited from using single-use plastic shopping bags, consumable items whose thickness is less than 50 micrometers and are used once.
Article Two states that companies and institutions are prohibited from using all kinds of plastic shopping bags, according to the attached time plan attached with this decision.
Individuals are also prohibited from using these bags as of the last date specified in the plan.
As per Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Law, anyone who violates the provisions of this decision will be subject to an administrative fine of not less than RO50, not exceeding RO1,000.
The fine shall be doubled in the event of the violation being repeated.
In application of the provisions of this Article, it shall be considered a repetition of the violation if a similar violation is reported within one month from the date of imposition of the fine.
The decision shall be effective from the day following the date of its publication in the official gazette.
Deadline to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags
July 1, 2024
Pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics
January 1, 2025
Fabric, textile, clothing, textile, and other stores.
Tailoring shops.
Eyewear stores.
Mobile phone sales and maintenance stores.
Shops that sell and maintain watches.
Stores selling furniture, furnishings, and household supplies.
July 1, 2025
Food stores.
Stores selling vegetables, fruits, and packaging.
Gift shops.
Bakeries and shops selling bread, pastries, and sweets.
Candy factories and candy stores.
January 1, 2026
Building and construction materials stores.
Utensils stores.
Selling feed, grains, agricultural materials, and pesticides.
Selling ice cream, corn, sweets, and nuts.
Selling juices.
Selling Mashakek.
Mills.
Selling honey.
Selling dates.
Selling and repairing water filters.
Shops that sell and maintain water pumps.
Shops that sell and maintain car pumps.
Stores selling modern irrigation systems.
Shops selling birds, fish, and pets
and related foods.
Nurseries and selling agricultural supplies.
July 1, 2026
Furniture, blankets, etc. stores.
Dagger, gold, and silverware shops.
Car care centers.
Cars agencies.
January 1, 2027
Electronics stores.
Sanitary and electrical materials.
Selling fish supplies.
Vehicle repair shops.
Fishing boat repair workshops.
Stores selling vehicle spare parts.
Stores selling fishing equipment spare parts.
Vehicle electrician.
Changing vehicle oils.
Vehicle brake repair.
Tire sales and repair.
Selling and repairing electrical appliances and television broadcasting equipment.
Selling, repairing, and maintaining computers.
Stores selling stationery and office supplies.
Printing presses.
July 1, 2027
All other activities that use bags
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