Bahrain bans selling, manufacturing, importing single-use plastic bags
Ban excludes single-use plastic bags that are more than 35 microns in thickness
Dubai: Bahrain has announced it will ban selling, manufacturing, circulating and importing single-use plastic bags starting from September 18, 2022, local media reported.
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism (MOICT) has issued an order banning selling, manufacturing, circulating and importing single-use plastic bags that are less than 35 microns in thickness..
Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Industry and Commerce, said the decision is aimed at supporting environmental protection initiatives and limiting the spread of plastic waste. He highlighted the ban is in line with the government’s plans of securing an environment that supports sustainability and reduces pollution.
The ban will exclude single-use plastic bags that are more than 35 microns in thickness, single-use plastic bags that are used for medical purposes and those that are used for exports, he said.
Al Zayani added that surveys showed all local factories intend to manufacture multi-use plastic bags that are more than 35 microns in thickness. The survey also showed that 86 per cent of these local factories would continue to manufacture plastic products that are exempt from the new regulations.
The minister noted that several neighbouring and developed countries have applied similar regulations to limit the spread of plastic waste, which poses a great danger to the environment and wildlife.
He stressed the ministry will continue to take measures that contribute to environmental protection, and called for public cooperation.