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Towards making UAE plastic-free country

Minister of Environment and Water Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad has said that the UAE will become a plastic-free country by 2012. According to him, the government is planning to phase out the use of plastic as part of its strategic plan.

"To achieve the plastic-free status, my ministry is currently preparing a strategy to completely phase out plastic usage in the country. The environmental hazards posed by plastic is a global issue. We have launched several initiatives to reduce the use of plastic. However, we need time to implement it as we have to replace plastic with an adequate alternative," the minister pointed out.

He also announced the setting up of a special wing for creating environmental awareness among institutions and people.

Dubai Municipality has also taken up the cudgels against the increasing plastic waste by deciding to stop the free distribution of plastic garbage bags.

Towards the same goal of reducing the consumption of plastic as the long-term solution for the issue, the municipality also conducts awareness and education campaigns for the public, and holds lectures and workshops on related topics. It has established Tadweer, one of the biggest recycling plants in the world, with a capacity to treat up to 4,000 tonnes of waste everyday. Using the latest technology, the waste is segregated into food waste, paper, metals, plastic, glass, etc. While the food waste is composted to produce high quality soil amendments such as fertilisers, the waste paper, plastic, glass and other components are recycled at the plant or sold to other waste recycling companies.

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