UAE gears up for next phase of plastic ban

Local manufacturers are already adapting on the ground despite high costs and limited access to raw materials

- Nasreen Abdulla

From January, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment will begin enforcing the second phase of the nationwide ban on single-use plastic products and bags.

Although local companies have invested in alternatives to single-use plastics, experts say the UAE market is still getting ready for the new rules. High costs and limited access to raw materials remain key challenges for local manufacturers. From January, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) will begin enforcing the second phase of the nationwide ban on single-use plastic products and bags.

The ban will cover a defined range of single-use items, including beverage cups and lids, cutlery, such as spoons, forks, knives, and chopsticks, plates, straws, stirrers and food containers and boxes made of Styrofoam. It also establishes a comprehensive ban on single-use bags if their thickness is less than 50 microns.

According to François de Bie, chief commercial officer of Emirates Biotech and an expert on plastic, UAE-based manufacturers will be the “engine room” of this transition. “Their role goes beyond simple production,” he said.