SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): A proposed regulation aims to standardize the utilization of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and limit the imports of PET into the country. The legislation is currently under consideration by the Ministry of Justice.

The bill was initiated by officials at the Environmental Protection Authority. The drafting of the bill was done by experts belonging to the Ministry of Industry and the Food and Beverage Industry Research and Development Center almost a year back. The bill is currently under review by stakeholders.

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Bekele Mekuria, the director of the Food and Beverage Industry Research and Development Center noted that there exists no standards for reusing PET in food packaging, which has led to the introduction of the bill. The new bill aims to establish a flawless procedure for incorporating rPET into food packaging. The draft of the bill is currently under scrutiny by the Ministry of Justice. Upon integrating their inputs, the bill would be put before Council of Ministers for final approval, Mekuria said.

The proposed bill is expected to deliver significant economic benefits, by way of reducing up to $50 million in expenditure on PET imports. Furthermore, it is expected to create significant employment opportunities and prevent environmental pollution.