The Armenian authorities plan to fully ban the use of plastic bags, according to the Ministry of Environment, as reported by Sputnik Armenia.

The ministry has developed a bill to amend the Trade and Services law, which is now under discussion. This initiative aims to prohibit not only the sale but also the presence of single-use polyethylene bags, including those thicker than 50 microns.

Exceptions will be made for packaging bags used for weighing products and those made from recycled materials, as well as waste bags.

"The proposed bill also includes a ban on the distribution and presence of single-use plastic or foam tableware, such as plates, cups, spoons, forks, knives, and straws," the ministry stated.

In 2023, Environment Minister Hakob Simidyan announced plans to completely ban plastic bags and containers, as the 2022 restriction on selling bags under 50 microns had been ineffective.

The government initially planned to introduce this ban starting January 1, 2025, but did not follow through. In 2023, the Ministry of Environment acknowledged that the previous 50-micron ban had failed. However, the ministry has not commented on the environmental impact of the new measures.