Sharjah begins charging 25 fils for single-use plastic bag

SHARJAH: Sales outlets in Sharjah began, on Saturday, imposing a tariff of no less than 25 fils on each single-use plastic bag presented to the consumer.

The step comes in preparation for a complete ban on single-use plastic bags and material in the emirate within two years.

In August this year, the Executive Council, under the directives of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, issued a decision regarding the ban on single-use plastic bags and materials in the Emirate of Sharjah.

The decision aims at protecting the environment from the dangers of plastic pollution and reducing the negative effects resulting from harmful practices.

It also seeks to enhance and encourage the environmental protection and sustainability by reducing the consumption of single-use plastic bags and material.

According to the decision, as of Jan.1, 2024, it is prohibited to trade, produce, offer or import single-use plastic bags and material in the emirate, provided they are replaced with multi-use bags and material with technical specifications and standards approved by the Department of Municipal Affairs.

The decision aims to protect the environment from the dangers of plastic pollution and reducing the negative effects resulting from harmful practices.

Enhance and encourage a culture of environmental protection and sustainability by reducing the consumption of single-use plastic bags and materials, leading to their ban.

Organising the shit from the consumption of single-use plastic bags and materials, and working to provide environmentally friendly alternatives.

Ensure that multi-use bags and materials are handled in a sustainable manner.

The ban on the use of single-use plastic bags in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi will take effect from Wednesday based on the integrated policy that the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi launched in 2020 to curb the use of these bags.

Retail stores in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi from June this year has already started collecting a minimum of 50 fils from the public on each of the alternative multi-use shopping bags. Excluded from the ban will be bags of vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken and fish as well as waste bags, flower, plant and grain bags, mail bags and bags used in laundries and pharmacies.

The banned single-use bags are less than 50 microns thick and are currently used on cashier’s desks in outlets, the agency said, adding that outlets have replaced these bags with thicker ones that can be used at least 4 to 10 times.