The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has today launched “Mission to Zero Government Challenge” for Abu Dhabi Government entities to encourage the reduction of single-use products. The organisations are to report results of the amount of waste they generated and their percentage of reduction by the end March 2023, and the entity that records the highest amount of waste reduction will receive recognition.
The challenge aims to encourage government organisations to transition away from single-use products as part of EAD’s Single-Use Plastic Policy that was launched in March 2020. In June 2022, a ban on single-use plastic bags became effective and EAD issued a guide for government organisations titled: ‘Becoming Free of Single-Use Products: A Guide for Abu Dhabi Government.’
The Agency developed the guide in both Arabic and English to provide information on the policy to government and private institutions and their employees. The mission of the guide is to declare Abu Dhabi government entities free of single-use plastic and non-plastic materials by limiting their use and encourage a shift towards multi-use alternatives which are less harmful to the environment.
Examples of products that will be measured in the government entities include: bags, cups and lids, cutlery, plates, stirrers and bottles.
Ahmed Baharoon, Executive Director of Environment Information, Science Outreach Management Sector at EAD said: “As we continue momentum of our Single-Use Plastic Policy, we have decided to launch a competition among government organisations in Abu Dhabi to see which organisation can reduce the largest amount of single-use products. Our long-term goal is all establishments of Abu Dhabi government environment becoming completely free of single-use products.”
He added: “Since 2022 we have shared our guide with the government and organised a series of workshops for the employees and to date 3247 have attended our sessions. We have seen positive cooperation from the government entities and through this challenge we will be taking larger steps forward towards declaring our government free from harmful products that jeopardise our environment.”
EAD developed an awareness tool kit which includes infographics and animations to explain the guide in simple steps to support entities in implementing it.It was shared with more than 80 entities.