The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) organised a workshop on Monday, to train inspectors from EAD, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi(DED), and Abu Dhabi Agriculture & Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA),andintroduce them to the Executive Regulationsregarding single-use plastic products and their alternatives inthe Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
This follows the launch of the integrated Single-Use Plastic Policy,which was approved by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative of Al Dhafra Region andChairman of the Board of Directors of EAD,in April 2022,that was initially introduced in 2020.
The virtual workshop covered tools to help effectively plan for the policy’s implementation,which will ensure the gradual reduction in consumption of single-use plastic products across Abu Dhabi, while encouraging the use of reusable products. Aban will come into effect under the Emirate’s integrated Single-Use Plastic Policy on June 1st, 2022,which will prevent the sale of single-use plastic bags across all retailers.
The workshop also highlighted ways to implement the provisions of the regulation aimed at regulating the transition from the consumption of single-use plastic materials to the consumption of multi-use materials, which are less environmentally harmful during their life cycle.
The workshop was held as part ofEAD’sstakeholder outreach programme, and the Agency is working closely with various players in the community to ensure the transition away from single-use plastic bags, while implementing the ban and raising awareness of alternative products.
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, DED and ADAFSA are cooperating to advocate the use of alternatives to single-use bags and are intensifying their efforts in the field of monitoring and implementation to ensure the transition is handled in a sustainable manner.
The inspectors will monitor the implementation of the single-use bag ban, starting from June 1, 2022, as they are replaced with multi-use bags made as per technical standards approved by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC).
The ban decision excludes bags designated for medicines in pharmacies, bag rolls for vegetables, meat, fish, chicken, grains and bread (knot bags). This is in addition to exempting large shopping bags designed for fashion or electronic gadgets, toys, waste bags of different sizes and types, bags designated for keeping messages, postal parcels or magazines and newspapers. Also excluded are bags designated for transporting plants, flowers and laundry bags.
Some major retailers have recently signed a voluntary declaration to support the implementation of the Single-Use Plastic Policy in Abu Dhabi and to secure alternatives, resources, and financing to support environmental protection. This will be achieved by reducing the number of single-use plastics in outlets across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in addition to encouraging and accelerating the shift in consumer behaviour towards reducing the consumption of single-use plastics.
These retailers and outlets have committed to implementing the Abu Dhabi Government’s announcement to ban single-use plastic bags from Wednesday June 1, 2022, and to charge customers a fee for each of the alternative multi-use plastic shopping bags.
The Agency, in coordination with the concerned organisations, will prepare and implement programmes to educate community members about the importance of consuming durable and multi-use alternatives to single-use products.