Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
In April and May 2025, the five fully participating members of the East African Community, a trading block, officially notified the World Trade Organization of several new standards related to food contact articles and materials. Each includes requirements, sampling, test methods, and any exceptions.
- DEAS 1256: 2024, Plastic cup — Specification, First Edition
- DEAS 1255: 2024, Baby pacifier/soother — Specification, First Edition
- DEAS 1257:2024, Plastic plate — Specification, First Edition
- DEAS 1259:2025 Paper Aluminium Foil Laminate for Packaging — Specification
Egypt
On March 2, 2025, Egypt introduced an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for plastic shopping bags. Under Prime Minister’s Decree No. 662 of 2025, manufacturers and importers must track production, report sales, and pay a fee of EGP 37.5/kg plastic sold in local markets to go towards the collection and safe disposal of the bags.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s parliament passed a law on June 2, 2025, to phase out some single use plastics. According to reporting from the Ethiopian Business Review, “[t]he new law prohibits the importation and production of single-use plastics, particularly targeting plastic bags with a thickness of less than 0.03 millimeters… [As well as] disposable plastic items such as bags, bottles, straws, and wrappers.” The law was unanimously passed but there was debate about part of the law that implements a fine for being caught using plastic bags, says borkena.
Ghana
Modern Ghana reports that as part of World Environment Day celebrations on June 5, 2025, President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, announced plans to ban the import, manufacture, and use of polystyrene foam containers for food.
Israel
Effective January 1, 2025, Israel adopted over 40 import standards from the European Union related to food and agricultural products. Alignment includes EU regulations and directives for food contact materials as a group, as well as plastics, cellulose film, epoxy, rubber, and active and intelligent materials.
Kenya
Kenya’s new mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation came into effect on May 5, 2025. According to Legal Notice No. 176 of 2024, the Sustainable Waste Management Act, manufacturers and importers of packaging and some other products must now manage their goods through the full lifecycle of the product, including collection and recycling.
Additionally, in late 2024, the Kenyan government passed Legal Notice 181 of 2024, the Environmental Management and Coordination (Management and Control of Plastic Packaging Materials) Regulations, outlining new obligations for the labeling of plastic packaging in the country. Plastic packaging must now display details like producer contact info, resin codes, and recycled content percentages in order to be authorized for manufacture, import, sale, or export in the country.
Nigeria
A nationwide ban on plastic straws, cutlery, sachets, bottles, and expanded polystyrene came into effect in January 2025. In June 2024, the announcement came out that the ban would be nationwide beginning 2025 but according to reporting from The Guardian, not all were sure if the public was prepared.
Local governments and government offices were phasing out single use plastics throughout 2024 (FPF reported).
United Arab Emirates
The second phase of Dubai’s three-part single-use plastics ban came into effect on January 1, 2025. A municipal ban on polystyrene food containers, plastic straws, stirrers, cups, and table covers is now in effect. In 2024 the ban started with single use plastic bags and in 2026, according to Sustainable Plastics, it will include “other single-use plastic products including plastic plates, plastic food containers, plastic tableware, and beverage cups and their plastic lids.”
This article is part of a series from the Food Packaging Forum reviewing global regulatory and waste management from Q1 and Q2 2025. Other articles in the series cover Europe, US states, South and Southeast Asia, and South America.
References
Basma Abdel Sattar (March 4, 2025). “Government decision on the application of extended responsibility to plastic bags.” El Watan News. (in Arabic)
Uganda National Bureau of Standards, East Africa Community (May 12, 2025). “Notification: DEAS 1256: 2024, Plastic cup — Specification, First Edition.” World Trade Organization
Uganda National Bureau of Standards, East Africa Community (May 12, 2025). “DEAS 1255: 2024, Baby pacifier/soother — Specification, First Edition.” World Trade Organization
Uganda National Bureau of Standards, East Africa Community (April 10, 2025). “DEAS 1257:2024, Plastic plate — Specification, First Edition.” World Trade Organization
Kenya Bureau of Standards, East Africa Community (April 14, 2025). “DEAS 1259:2025 Paper Aluminium Foil Laminate for Packaging — Specification.” World Trade Organization
Getahun Tsegaye (June 4, 2025). “Ethiopia Introduces Fine For The Use of Plastic Bags, Sparks Debate in Parliament.” Borkena
Ethiopian Business Review (June 3, 2025). “Ethiopia passes law to phase out single0use plastics.”
Modern Ghana (June 5, 2025). “We will ban importation, production of styrofoam in Ghana — President Mahama.”
USDA (October 15, 2024). “Israel Adopts Additional European Union Standards for Agricultural Imports.” (pdf)
Republic of Kenya (November 4, 2024). “Legal Notice No. 176: The sustainable waste management act.” Kenya Gazette (pdf).
Eromo Egbejule (December 24, 2024). “Single-use plastic will soon be banned in Nigeria – but is the country ready?” The Guardian
Beatriz Santos (January 6, 2025). “Dubai bans plastic straws, expanded polystyrene foam food containers.” Sustainable Plastics
Read more
Adsero (March 19, 2025). “New EPR regulations: Impact on plastic bag producers.” Ragy Soliman & Partners
Raed Network (March 2025). “Egypt implements Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for shopping bags to combat ‘plastic risks’.” Arab Office for Youth and Environment
Sustainability MEA (April30, 2025). “Kenya’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations to take effect on May 5, 2025.”
Kepro (March 25, 2024). “Kenya’s new EPR regulations: Compliance for businesses.”
