Ethiopia Begins Work on Rules for Plastic Ban Exemptions

Mintesinot Nigussie

The Environmental Protection Authority has begun drafting detailed implementation rules to determine which single-use plastic products may qualify for limited exemptions under Ethiopia’s newly enforced waste management law. The authority said it is preparing a directive to guide enforcement of the Solid Waste Management and Disposal Proclamation No. 1383/2025, which introduced a nationwide ban on single-use plastic carrier bags alongside tighter controls on other disposable plastic products.

Wasihun Alemu, head of the Urban Waste Management Monitoring Desk, told Ahadu Radio that institutions have been instructed to identify and submit lists of plastic products they are seeking exemption for within a set deadline. The submissions will be reviewed to distinguish narrowly defined cases from items covered under the ban.

He said the framework under development is intended to support enforcement by clarifying which products may be considered under administrative procedures, while maintaining the core restrictions set out in the law. Authorities, however, stressed that plastic carrier bags remain fully prohibited without exception.

The legislation forms part of Ethiopia’s broader effort to curb plastic pollution, which policymakers link to urban waste accumulation, drainage blockages and environmental degradation. The current law replaces earlier, more limited restrictions introduced in 2007 that were less consistently enforced.

Businesses in manufacturing, retail, packaging and waste management sectors are expected to be directly affected by the new rules, as they will need to adjust operations to comply with the ban while identifying any eligible exemptions.

Overall, the drafting of rules for plastic ban exemptions marks a key step in operationalising Ethiopia’s waste management proclamation and balancing environmental protection with practical implementation needs.