Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy.

This Single Use Plastic Policy developed by the e Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) on behalf of Abu Dhabi Government is a sectoral document aligned with the concerned national policies, plans and strategies aiming at ensuring sustainable production and consumption of plastics and in this way to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases consistent with the UAE’s Nationally Determined Contributions. In order to achieve the overall goals, the Policy sets out a number of strategic objectives, as follows (i) reduce the use of single-use plastic (and non-plastic) materials and declare the Emirate of Abu Dhabi free of single-use plastic bags in 2021; (ii) reduce the amount of plastic material that enters the environment; (iii) declare Abu Dhabi Government free of single-use plastics by the end of 2021; and (iv) change public behaviour towards more sustainable practices. The policy focuses response on a series of priority single use plastic items which, with abandoned fishing gear, international studies suggest account for 70% of total marine litter, including plastic bags, cups and lids, cutlery, plates, straws, food containers, plastic bottles, cotton buds, cigarette butts, sanitary items, and balloons.