UAE’s plan to ban single-use plastics by 2026: Everything you need to know

Dubai: Plastic, and its remnants such as microplastics, are now present in nearly every part of our lives, from daily shopping to the water we drink and the food we eat. Acknowledging the impact of plastic pollution, the UAE is taking decisive action to eliminate unnecessary plastic from everyday use. From January 2026, the country will introduce a comprehensive ban on single-use plastic products.

UAE to phase out single-use plastics by 2026

The UAE will implement a comprehensive ban on the import, production, and trade of single-use plastic products from 1 January 2026, according to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in June 2025.

This comes as part of the phased approach initiated in 2024 with the ban on plastic bags. Dr. Al Dahak clarified that the nationwide action builds upon earlier measures, underscoring the country’s commitment to environmental stewardship and its goal of designing waste and pollution out of its systems.

Dubai’s final stage of single-use plastic ban

Dubai’s ban will extend to single-use plastic cups and lids, cutlery, food containers and plates from January 2026. This follows earlier restrictions: the emirate banned single-use plastic bags in 2024 and plastic stirrers, tablecloths, cups and food containers made of Styrofoam in 2025.

A ban on all single-use bags has been in place since June 2024, under Executive Council Resolution No. (124) of 2023, issued by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.

The resolution aims to significantly reduce single-use plastic waste, while encouraging the private sector to adopt recycled products in line with circular economy practices. It also regulates the use and recycling of plastics.

Under the resolution, businesses including shops, vendors, and restaurants must participate in initiatives that minimise the use of plastic materials, and are expected to provide reasonably priced reusable alternatives.

Timeline of Dubai’s single-use plastic ban:

• January 2024 – A 25-fil tariff introduced on single-use plastic bags.

• June 2024 – Complete ban on single-use plastic bags.

• January 2025 – Ban on single-use plastic items such as plastic stirrers, Styrofoam containers and plastic straws.

• January 2026 – Ban extended to single-use plastic cups and lids, cutlery, food containers, and plates.

According to Dubai Municipality, bread bags, roll bags for vegetables, fish, meat and chicken, bags that are 58 micrometres thick and above, and garbage bags are exempt from the ban.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi introduced its ban on single-use plastic bags on June 2022. In 2023, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) launched the ‘Incentive-based Bottle Return Scheme’, in collaboration with partners, to recover and recycle single-use plastic bottles.

To date, more than 130 million bottles have been collected from around 150 Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs), smart bins, and door-to-door collections. The total recyclable plastic collected stands at 2,000 tonnes – enough to fill up to 80 truckloads.

In June 2024, EAD imposed a ban on some Styrofoam products. The agency has also recorded a 95 per cent reduction in plastic bag consumption since the launch of its single-use bag policy.

 Sharjah

In 2024, Sharjah Municipality announced that it had discontinued the manufacturing of single-use plastic bags. This followed the emirate’s ban on single-use plastic bags and materials from 1 January 2024.

Retailers were instructed to stop trading, producing, offering and importing single-use plastic bags and materials as part of the ban.