The Waste Management law no. 202 of 2020 (the “Law”) was issued on October 13, 2020 and entered into force on October 14, 2020.

The Law addresses waste generation and processing with the intent to promote waste recycling and reuse. It focuses on the integrated management of municipal, industrial, agricultural, demolition and construction waste as well as their safe disposal. In this regard, it classifies waste as hazardous or non-hazardous. The requirements for the management of each are as follows:

1. Hazardous Waste: it is defined under the Law as waste that contains organic or non-organic components or compounds that have a harmful effect on human health or the environment as a result of their physical, chemical or biological characteristics or that contain any dangerous qualities such as contagious, flammable, explosive or toxic substances.

The requirements pertaining to the management of this type of waste include, but are not limited to: (a) obtaining a special license for the integrated management of hazardous waste and substances, (b) obtaining an approval from the above-mentioned authority for its circulation, (c) maintaining a register of such waste and the methods of disposal, and (d) sterilizing and disinfecting the place where the facility producing such waste was established in case it was moved or its activities suspended.

2. Non-Hazardous Waste: it is defined as waste that, by its nature, is not dangerous, whether municipal, industrial, agricultural, demolition, construction waste or their equivalent.

The requirements pertaining to the management of this type of waste include but are not limited to: (a) obtaining a license for the integrated management of non-hazardous waste, and (b) taking all precautions required to avoid causing any harm to the environment.

The Law also provides for the establishment of a Waste Management Authority (the “Authority”). The roles of the Authority include but are not limited to:

• Regulating, tracking, auditing, evaluating and developing everything related to Integrated Waste Management activities,
• Attracting and encouraging investments in the field of Integrated Waste Management activities in a manner that guarantees achieving sustainable development and tracking the implementation of the plans required to regulate waste management in cooperation with governmental institutions, municipal governments, the private sector, NGOs and international organizations, and
• Issuing the licenses needed to undertake waste management activities.

In order to curb the use of single-use plastic bags, the Law provides that the manufacturing, import and export of Single-Use Plastic Bags shall take place in accordance with the conditions, parameters and technical specifications stipulated by a decree of the Minister of Trade and Industries as agreed with the Competent Minister. Said decree may prohibit the manufacturing, import, or export of Single-Use Plastic Bags if they include any input or substances that could cause severe harm to the environment. Further, the Law prohibits the sale, circulation, storage, free distribution or disposal of Single-Use Plastic Bags unless they are done in compliance with the conditions, parameters and technical specifications stipulated by the executive regulations of this law.

The Law stipulates that its executive regulations shall be issued within 6 months from the date of issuance of the Law. We will be following-up on any further development.