In an announcement today, the Ministry of Environment and Water of the United Arab Emirates has launched a campaign to ban plastic bags.
Dr Mariam Al Shanasi is executive director of the technical affairs at the ministry. He stated that the campaign theme “UAE free from plastic bags” is designed to heighten awareness of the environmental risks of plastic bag use. The UAE’s goal is to effectively eliminate plastic bag use by 2013.
The UAE announced a directive earlier this week for supermarkets to stop printing their logos on non-biodegradable plastic bags by late 2009.
Similar initiatives have been taking place worldwide through public awareness campaigns, taxes on plastic bags and some countries or cities banning their use altogether.
