Abu Dhabi To Be Free of Single-Use Plastic by 2021
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi announced a new policy to reduce the amount of single-use plastic material in Abu Dhabi and mitigate its harmful effects.
The comprehensive policy aims to keep plastics out of the environment and eliminate the use of avoidable single-use plastic and non-plastic materials by 2021 through fostering a culture of recycling and re-use and encouraging more sustainable practices in the community.
The policy is part of the Abu Dhabi Government’s efforts to increase sustainability and improve the environment through the ‘Ghadan 21’ program that is working to accelerate the development of the Abu Dhabi economy.
The scope of the policy includes developing legislation to limit the use of all plastic materials in Abu Dhabi gradually with a phased approach with incentives to target consumption of single-use plastic bags, then introducing fees on some materials, which have available alternatives to prevent distribution of single-use plastic materials free of charge, and, finally, achieving a total ban.
