By decision of the Georgian government, starting April 1, 2026, the sale of plastic forks, knives, spoons, sticks, plates, straws, drink stirrers, as well as food containers made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and their lids, and cups is prohibited. The import and production of the specified products have already been banned since January 1, 2026. The information was released by Georgia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.

“From April 1, another regulation related to limiting plastic use also comes into force. In particular, institutions subject to public procurement are prohibited from purchasing plastic cups, containers, and beverages bottled in plastic containers with a volume of up to 3 liters through state procurement. The restriction does not apply to public procurement of beverages in plastic bottles up to 3 liters that are purchased for the needs of the Defense Forces and military personnel.

Compliance with these regulations will be monitored, within their respective competencies, by the National Food Agency, the Environmental Supervision Department, and the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance.

According to the Code of Administrative Offenses of Georgia, violation of the requirements предусмотренных постановлением will result in a fine of 1,000 lari and confiscation of the relevant products, while a repeated violation will result in a fine of 2,000 lari and confiscation of the products.

It is important that the regulation does not apply to the export of plastic products. Manufacturers preparing products for export are required to notify the Environmental Supervision Department in writing at least one month before the start of production about the start and end dates of production, the quantity of products to be manufactured, export countries, and the export schedule,” the statement said.