Restaurants in Qatar now have until March 1 to comply with a government order to stop serving hot food in plastic and styrofoam containers, officials have announced.

To address noncompliance and widespread confusion about alternative packaging solutions, the Ministry of Environment has set up a hotline (44139400) and called a meeting with eateries to discuss implementing the ban, the Peninsula reports.

Packaging hot food like bread, tea and coffee in plastic bags and cups cause chemical components from the items to leach into the food and drinks, which could cause health problems after consumption.

In July, Qatar became one of the first countries in the Middle East to prohibit the practice – two years after Qatar’s Emir ratified a Cabinet decision on the ban. Many countries in the West have long adopted the practice.

But the government did not follow through with the 90-day deadline that it set for eateries to phase out the use of plastic bags, wraps, newspapers or any other printed material.

Anyone think the ban is going to stick by March 1?