Madam Speaker, Mauritius, being a Small Island Developing State, we are vulnerable to environmental impacts and climate change. One major source of environmental pollution is plastic pollution, which is increasingly evident in public spaces, landfill sites and our coastal and marine ecosystems with the associated impact on biodiversity, fisheries, tourism and public health. The flooding incidents which Mauritius has faced have clearly shown the significant amount of plastic waste that has accumulated in our environment and has been carried through drains and waterways. Our plastic waste is composed predominantly of plastic bottles and plastic food packaging. There is growing concern, Madam Speaker, about the footprints of plastic pollution. Research has shown that plastic pollution – i. affects human health through the ingestion of petroleum-based microplastics found in drinking water and food; ii. harms ecosystems by reducing soil quality and contaminating the freshwater and marine habitats, and iii. causes injury through ingestion and entanglement, reduced reproduction and death of marine and terrestrial animals. According to the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, the total waste generation in Mauritius is estimated at 518,300 tonnes. Out of this, approximately 14%, that is, around 72,600 tonnes is plastic, and only some 2,900 tonnes are collected by registered recyclers and exporters. Immediate action towards the elimination of plastic is required to minimise damage to human health, marine life and ecosystems. Madam Speaker, in the Budget Speech, I announced the extension of the current excise duty of Rs2 levied per PET bottle containing water or soft drinks to plastic bottles containing other goods as from 01 October 2026. The objective of this measure is to primarily encourage more environment-friendly consumption and manufacturing. However, Madam Speaker, we are conscious that the extension cannot be applied to all plastic bottles containing goods due to the potential impact of this measure on the cost of essential products and the non-availability of alternatives. Accordingly, the excise duty will not apply to 38 categories of products, including milk products, infant food, edible oils, margarine and butter, spices, honey, prepared vegetables, juices, baby products and pharmaceutical products. The expected revenue collection from the extension of the Rs2 excise duty to plastic bottles is Rs135 million for the Financial Year 2026-27. As regards part (a) of the question, the additional revenue from the extension of the excise duty will be remitted to the Consolidated Fund. The House may wish to note that there is already a Climate and Sustainability Fund to support national initiatives to protect, manage and invest and as well as restore our natural ecosystems and combat the effects of climate change. For the Financial Year 2026-2027, Government will transfer Rs2.5 billion from the Consolidated Fund to the Climate and Sustainability Fund to finance various projects, schemes and programmes in connection with adaptation and mitigation measures to address climate change. In addition, an amount of Rs3.5 billion has been earmarked in the Consolidated Fund to finance various projects and programmes under different ministries for environmental protection. Concerning part (b) of the question, I wish to inform the House that there is presently a scheme operated by the Mauritius Revenue Authority which provides for a financial incentive to be granted to exporters and local recyclers of waste PET bottles to encourage the removal of waste plastic bottles from the waste stream. Under this scheme, exporters of waste PET bottles are refunded an amount of Rs15 per kg of waste PET bottles exported, and local recyclers an amount of Rs30 per kg of waste PET bottle which are recycled locally. Given that the excise duty will be extended to cover plastic bottles, the refund scheme will also be extended to cover waste plastic bottles to be exported or recycled, whether they are subject to excise duty or not. Madam Speaker, there are other initiatives to support local manufacturers and recyclers which are being implemented by the Ministry of Environment. This includes the implementation of recommendations of a 10-year Roadmap for a Plastic Pollution-Free Mauritius through – i. the conduct of a baseline study on the types of plastic products that can be recycled; ii. the establishment of technical specifications and national standards for recycled plastic to ensure safety, functionality and quality, and iii. the provision of training to recyclers and local authorities on upgraded sorting, contamination, control and safety measures.

Thank you. Alright. Hon. Beechook! FAKE MAURITIAN PASSPORT – DETECTED/REPORTED CASES