Overview of Sustainability Requirements for Packaging

Sustainability Requirements for Packaging
Uzbekistan

The below version control table serves to document all updates made to the report. The purpose is to ensure the information is always accurate and up-to-date.

1. Overview of sustainability requirements for packaging (e.g. no single-use plastic)

Certain restrictions are currently applicable for the manufacture and distribution of plastic bags.

1. Retail stores 

According to Article 25 of Decree No. 75 of 13 on the Rules for Retail Sale, Manufacture, and Provision of Public Catering Services in Uzbekistan, it is prohibited to give plastic bags away for free at retail shops, including their cost into the price of a product and to sell them at a price that is below their production cost (except for plastic bags that have no handles and that are an integral part of a product) [1]:

Translation:

25. The seller-employee is obliged to transfer to the buyer the goods of proper quality, in containers and (or) packaging, in a certain set (set of goods) and completeness, with documents and accessories related to the goods.

See previous edition.

The free issuance of bags made of polymer film, the inclusion of their cost in the cost of goods sold on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as their sale below cost (with the exception of bags that do not have handles and are an integral part of the goods) is prohibited.

2. Production

It is prohibited, in the territory of Uzbekistan, to manufacture plastic bags made of polymer film with a thickness of less than 40 microns (except for bags that are made for export, those without handles that represent an integral part of a product and those sold in rolls for domestic use as well as those made of biodegradable polymers) [2].

3. Import

According to Article 5 of Decree No. PP-3730 of 18 May 2018 on the Further Improvements to the Household Waste Management System [2], it is prohibited to place under the customs regime “release for free circulation (import)” of bags with handles (cut-out, loop) made of polymer films (HS code 3923 21 000 0, 3923 29 100 0, 3923 29 900 0), except where imported by individuals for their own needs when transporting and packaging goods and personal belongings, by business entities for their own production needs, as well as humanitarian aid or for advertising and/or testing purposes.

Translation:

5. Prohibit from January 1, 2019:

free issuance of bags made of polymer film, the inclusion of their cost in the cost of goods sold on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as their sale below cost (with the exception of bags that do not have handles and are an integral part of the goods);

production in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan of bags made of a polymer film with a thickness of less than 40 microns (with the exception of bags made of polymer film produced for export, which do not have handles and are an integral part of goods sold in rolls for household use, as well as from biodegradable polymer materials);

See the previous edition.

placement under the customs regime “release for free circulation (import)” of packages with handles (cut-out, loop) made of polymer films (HS code 3923 21 000 0, 3923 29 100 0, 3923 29 900 0), except for cases of import of data polymer films by individuals for their own needs when transporting and packaging goods and personal belongings, by business entities for their own production needs, as well as humanitarian aid, advertising, and testing.

(paragraph four of paragraph 5 as amended by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 23, 2019, No. UP-5728 - National Legislation Database, May 24, 2019, No. 06/19/5728/3180)

The State Committee for Ecology, the State Tax Committee, and the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall establish strict control over compliance with the requirements established by this paragraph.

2. Expected regulatory changes, if any

The extended producer responsibility EPR system is to be introduced in stages, starting from 1 August 2026. The EPR obligations apply to manufacturers and importers of certain products and packaging. Such importers and manufacturers will have to pay a charge for manufacturing or importing these products and/or packaging materials or to set up their own collection and recycling systems. The legislation that is to regulate the EPR obligations is to be adopted at a later stage.

As of 1 August 2026, the following types of packaging are subject to the extended producer responsibility obligations: [3]

• Products intended for transportation of packaging of goods and made of plastic
• Caps and other similar plastic goods

The list excludes HS code 3923 40.

As of 1 August 2026, certain materials used for packaging manufacturing are also subject to the EPR obligations in Uzbekistan [3]. These include:

Single-use plastic 

Uzbekistan is planning to introduce the following measures for tourist and recreational zones that are under a “clean environmental regime” in Uzbekistan (this includes tourist and recreational zones of Bostanlyksk and Zaaminsk regions): to prohibit bringing, selling, or manufacturing the following single-use plastic: cups, plastic straws, ice cream sticks, cotton buds, packaging film and some types of plastic bags [3].

It is also intended to ban all production and sale on the territory of Uzbekistan of bags made of polymer film with a thickness of less than 100 microns (high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), rolled low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), multilayer polyethylene (COEX )). This rule will not apply to bags made of polymer film produced for export, which do not have handles and are an integral part of goods, sold in rolls for household use, as well as to bags made from biodegradable polymer materials [3].

3. References

1. Decree No. 75 of 13 February 2003 on the Rules for Retail Sale, Manufacture and Provision of Public Catering Services in Uzbekistan

https://lex.uz/ru/docs/243233 

2. Decree No. PP-3730 of 18 May 2018 on the Further Improvements to the Household Waste Management System 

https://lex.uz/ru/docs/3741861 

3. Decree No. PP-171 of 31 May 2023 on Measures for the Efficient Organisation of Activities Performed by the Ministry of Environment, Ecology and Climate Change

https://lex.uz/ru/docs/6479136