The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture reviewed regulatory measures on plastic materials intended for contact with food.

Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili, the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, held a working meeting with the Deputies of the Minister, Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili, Mr. Kakha Kakabadze, and Mr. Zurab Ezugbaia, including the Heads of the relevant Agencies and Departments of the Ministry.

 

During the meeting, the parties discussed the regulation of plastics intended for contact with food. Special attention was given to reviewing the results of the project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), titled “Transitioning from Single-Use Plastics to Environmentally and Financially Viable Alternatives in Georgia.” The discussion focused on the negative impacts of single-use plastics on human health and living organisms.

 

 “Numerous studies and reports clearly demonstrate the harmful effects of plastic use on human health and environmental pollution. The state, private sector, and donor organizations must work in maximum coordination to find solutions to effectively regulate the use of plastics in food products and replace them with alternatives that are safe for human health and the environment,” stated Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili.

 

 It is worth mentioning that with active involvement and support from the state, the World Bank presented a report titled “Reducing Marine Plastic Pollution in Georgia” as part of the Black Sea Blueing (BBSEA) program.

 

 

 

The study encompassed four key areas: diagnostics of marine plastic pollution levels, assessment of technologies for removing plastic waste from rivers, evaluation of state policies, investment priorities, and institutional capacities related to plastics, and assessment of microplastic pollution in the Black Sea.

 

Active collaboration with the business sector is planned to facilitate the regulation of plastic materials that come into contact with food.