Residents, businesses greet upcoming single-use plastic bag ban in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s decision to ban the use of single-use plastic bags from June 1 has been widely welcomed by residents and businesses as the way forward.

While residents said the ban was prompting them to rethink their own choices, businesses said they were introducing feasible alternatives for customers.

Abu Dhabi’s environment sector regulator, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) announced the move on Wednesday, saying that it was part of a comprehensive strategy to combat climate change by reducing pollution and resource consumption.

While the ban will apply initially only on single-use plastic bags, the authority said it was also working to curb demand for 16 other disposable plastic products, including cups, stirrers, lids and cutlery. It also plans to phase out all styrofoam products over the next two years. EAD has also stipulated technical standards for multi-use bags for various entities in the emirate.

Taking to social media, many residents applauded the decision, calling it “great” and “amazing”. Some said they hoped that other emirates would also soon follow suit.

“I am glad that Abu Dhabi government has taken this decision. Protecting the environment is, after all, our responsibility,” he added.

Dubai has also announced its decision to charge a fee for the use of plastic bags from July onwards. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai aim to ban them completely in two years’ time.

Across the world, more than 90 countries have already banned the used of single-use plastic bags, while 30 countries have impose a fee on their usage.

Businesses that use single-use plastic bags will obviously have to provide alternatives to their customers, but business owners said such efforts have been in the works for a while already.

V. Nandakumar, director of marketing and communications at Lulu Group, one of the UAE’s biggest retailers, said the company had been working to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags over the past two years.

Following the announcement, the retailer is also looking at replacing plastic bags with bags made of paper or cornstarch.

“Our efforts have already seen plastic bag use drop at our stores by 55 per cent over the last two years. This will take it down to zero,” Nandakumar added.

Ibrabim Al Thuhli, owner of Emirati cuisine restaurant Almeer Kitchen, said he had for long offered alternatives, including non-plastic bags and even cutlery.

“In the UAE, many animals are at risk from plastic pollution, including animals that are an important part of our heritage, such as camels and horses. We must clean up our act and our environment and I am happy that Abu Dhabi is taking this step,” he said.