Staring on June 1st 2022, the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, will be banning the use of single-use plastic bags, with a view to achieve the country’s goals for an environmentally sustainable future. The Environment Agency (EAD) in Abu Dhabi announced the mission to gradually reduce the use of single-use plastic products and start leaning towards reusable products instead. Over time, the capital hopes to significantly reduce the usage of 16 single-use plastic products, including items such as plastic knives and forks, with a view to also reduce the usage of single-use styrofoam cups, plates, and food containers by 2024 in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE NetZero 2050 plan.
In a statement, the EAD’s secretary-general Dr Sheikha Al Dhaheri said, “As part of our plan to completely curb the use of single-use plastics, we are encouraging Abu Dhabi citizens to use more multipurpose and re-usable materials to reduce their environmental footprint,” and that the new ban has been announced because of the “harmful impacts on the environment and biodiversity.”
Abu Dhabi is the first city in the region to introduce this new eco-friendly initiative, which would have been put into action in 2020, but was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in 2022, the EAD is looking forward to the new policy coming into practice and will raise awareness via campaigns and speaking to plastic producers as well as retailers to confirm that the ban is underway.
Grocery stores, amongst others and shoppers will be asked to purchase reusable bags, such as canvas totes.
Dubai has also launched certain initiatives for people to consider using reusable products, and have introduced an initiative with a number of retailers where shoppers will be charged 0.25 fils for a single-use plastic bag beginning July 1st 2022. Pharmacies, restaurants, clothing stores and more will be charging for bags, and this will apply to online orders also.
Moreover, the “Dubai Can” initiative under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, also has goals to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles. The initiative encourages people to refill their own water bottles at installed water stations at home and work, rather than purchase plastic bottles.
