Nino Tandilashvili: “There are numerous alternatives that can replace plastic.”

 “There are many alternatives that can replace plastic,” stated Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili, First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
 

Speaking about the regulations developed to reduce plastic waste, the First Deputy Minister once again clarified that the amendment, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, prohibits the use of certain plastic items that come into contact with food.
 

“Specifically, the production (except for production intended for export), import, and placing on the market of the following plastic products will be banned: forks, knives, spoons, stirrers, plates, straws, drink mixers, food containers and their lids made of expanded polystyrene (EPS), including cups and their lids made of EPS. After April, such products will no longer be available on shelves or in supermarkets and will be replaced with alternatives that are safer for the environment and human health,” said Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili.

 
Notably, the ban will apply to the provision of ready-to-eat food to customers by food service establishments using single-use plastic food containers and cups.
 

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture is actively discussing this initiative on plastic-use regulations with representatives of the relevant business sectors and all interested stakeholders. The reduction of plastic use will be implemented gradually, based on positions that have been jointly agreed upon.