Shoppers urged to avoid use of plastic bags

Dubai: Shoppers have been urged to use cotton, jute or other natural bags instead of plastic bags in order to help protect the environment.

The International Association for Human Values in Dubai has said that plastic bags take years to decompose and can be a hazard to wildlife.

In addition, the organisation, which has spoken out against excessive plastic bag use to coincide with World Environment Day, warned that plastic bags release toxic gases when they are burnt.

Discouraging

The organisation said it would like to see a plastic bag fee levied each time someone takes a bag from a store, with the hope this would discourage people from using them.

Sandhya Prakash of the IAHV, which has offices at International Humanitarian City in Dubai, said: "This would make shoppers think before mindlessly taking multiple plastic bags from the grocery stores."

Prakash said since an awareness campaign on the issue was launched a year ago, a large number of schools and colleges had helped to highlight the issue.

She added: "A small change in your habit can go a long way in reducing the number of plastic bags in dump yards.

"Dubai is a shopper's paradise and people should continue to shop, but carry along a few bags with them when they go shopping."