Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy

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1 Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy
Classification: Restricted - ﻣ ﻘﯾد ة
1. POLICY STATEMENT
1. Introduction
This Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy
charts the course to a sustainable solution to the
issue of single use plastics entering the
environment and causing harm.
According to a report published by the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in 2018,
the global production of all plastics in 2015 was
about 400 million tons, of which 36% (i.e. about
144 million tons) was single-use plastic packaging
materials. Only 9% of all plastics are recycled,
while 12% are burned and the rest (79%) are
disposed of in landfills or leaked into the
environment.
In the United Arab Emirates, 11 billion plastic bags
are used annually (according to a report presented
at the World Government Summit in February
2019), which is the equivalent of 1,182 plastic bags
per person per year. This is considered a very high
rate compared to the global average of 307 bags
per person per year, while the rate in European
Union countries is about 200 bags per person per
year. This number drops to 5 single-use bags per
person per year in Denmark. In this context, there
is a lack of data on per capita consumption in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and this requires to be
addressed.
Against this challenge, the number of countries
adopting legislation and policies limiting the use of
single-use plastics is increasing rapidly. So far,
more than 127 countries have adopted such
measures, which include either a ban or a fee for
these materials. In addition, 250 major
international companies, including soft drink
companies, have signed a pledge to reduce the
use of single-use plastics throughout their
business.
At the national level, the Ministry of Climate
Change and Environment signed a pledge with the
Coalition of Innovation in Recycling towards a
Closed Loop Economy comprising government,
NGOs and global and local companies has been
launched to tackle the issue of packaging waste
pollution by improving the collection and recycling
of packaging. The overall aim is to test the
economic and environmental impact of a plastic
circular economy and accelerate sustainability
solutions for an optimized waste management
infrastructure. A group of local authorities also
signed a similar declaration in the emirate of Abu
Dhabi during the World Ocean Summit held in
March 2019.
This policy sets the general framework for tackling
the single-use plastic materials challenge and
identifies the instruments required to achieve
related objectives.
2. Application
This policy is applicable in the emirate of Abu
Dhabi and is managed by the Environment Agency
– Abu Dhabi (EAD) on behalf of Abu Dhabi
Government through consultation, coordination,
and cooperation with the governmental and private
stakeholders, and analysing impacts, based on
systematic and structured procedures that
contribute to achieving the objectives.
3. Method of preparation
This policy was prepared by the Environment
Agency - Abu Dhabi in cooperation with 12
concerned government entities and Emirates
Nature-WWF who were consulted through

2 Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy
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workshops and bilateral meetings. Six major
outlets and companies producing plastic materials
were also involved as well as the Department of
Economic Development, the Industrial Develo-
pment Bureau and Borouge Co. More than 2,700
people nationwide were engaged in a public
survey on the policy and the various alternatives
carried out by the Environment Agency - Abu
Dhabi in partnership with the Ministry of Climate
Change and Environment.
Finally, the policy is aligned with each of the
following national policies, plans and strategies:
1. The National Strategy for Plastic Waste
Management.
2. A ministerial draft resolution prepared by the
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
related to single use plastics.
3. National goals of the UAE 2021 vision related
to waste.
4. Legal framework
Federal Law No. (12) of 2018 on the Integrated
Waste Management stipulates that the competent
authority will assume responsibility for waste
management within its territorial jurisdiction, and
may undertake the preparation of plans, programs
and measures necessary for waste management
to improve environmentally sound practices. Law
No. (21) of 2005 on Waste Management in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Law No. (17) of 2008
regarding the Establishment of Center for Waste
Management states that the Environment Agency
– Abu Dhabi is the competent authority to
implement the law, while the center undertakes the
task of waste management in coordination with the
competent authority. Law No. (16) of 2005
regarding the Reorganization of the Environment
Agency - Abu Dhabi and its amendments states
that the EAD develops the environmental policies.
5. Economic analysis
Single-use plastic makes up approximately 40% of
the total plastics nationwide. Abu Dhabi produces
68% of raw materials for single-use materials
which are exported outside the country. 12% of
these materials are converted from raw materials
to single use plastics. The emirate imports about
17% of the single use plastics from the other
emirates. The percentage of single use plastics
produced and consumed in Abu Dhabi is only 3%
of the total quantities of single use plastics
produced at the country level. Therefore, the
impact of policy on domestic production is
generally low.
As for the size of the sector, plastic production in
the emirate of Abu Dhabi contributes
approximately 15 billion dirhams to GDP (2%),
while the production of single-use plastics
contributes no more than 700 million dirhams
(0.1%) - according to a report from the Statistics
Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD) for the fiscal year 2016.
This reinforces the conclusion that the economic
impact on the emirate will be generally low.
Finally, this policy does not impact the emirate's
exports of single use plastic. It also considers that
the effect of the policy on the supply of materials
from other emirates is not considered an economic
impact on the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
6. Single use plastic policy vision
In recognition of the need to address
environmental issues associated with single use
plastic and balance this with the importance of the
sector to the UAE economy, our policy vision is:
“to ensure sustainable production and
consumption of plastics”.

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By reducing consumption of single use plastics,
the policy will contribute to the reduction of
greenhouse gases consistent with the UAE’s
Nationally Determined Contributions under the
Paris Agreement (2016).
7. Objectives
1. Reducing the use of single-use plastic (and
non-plastic) materials and declaring the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi free of single-use plastic
bags in 2021.
2. Reducing the amount of plastic material that
enters the environment.
3. Declaring Abu Dhabi Government free of
single-use plastics by the end of 2021.
4. Changing public behaviour towards more
sustainable practices.
8. Policy Timeframe
The timeline for this policy is for two years (2020-
2022).

4 Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy
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9. Policy Actions and Implementation Mechanisms
Table 1: Policy Objectives, Instruments and Time Frame
Supporting
entities
Entity Duration Instrument
Type
Instrument Policy
Objectives
Department of
Economic Development
Environment
Agency – Abu
Dhabi
2020
Strengthening
and
implementing
the legal
framework
Develop a regulation to limit the
use of single-use plastic and non-
plastic materials by creating
gradual procedures to stimulate
the reduction of consumption of
single-use plastic bags by
introducing fees to move towards
a total ban on them. the regulation
will also introduce fees on items
with clear alternatives and a ban
on their free distribution to the end
consumer.
Reducing the use
of single-use
plastic (and non-
plastic) materials
and declaring the
Emirate of Abu
Dhabi free of
single-use plastic
bags by 2021.
Department of
Economic Development
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020
Department of
Economic Development
and, Department of
Municipalities and
Transport
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020 Ban the free distribution of
targeted items (for example, by
fast food outlets and catering
service providers).
Environment Agency –
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Government
Media Office
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2021 Declare Abu Dhabi free from
single-use plastic bags in 2021.
Department of Finance,
Abu Dhabi Executive
Council
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020 Establish an environment fund for
the collected fees to finance
environmental activities.
Entities of Abu Dhabi
Declaration to clean the
marine environment
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020
Enhancing
knowledge
Conduct debris field surveys of
specific marine and terrestrial
sites in Abu Dhabi.
Reducing the
amount of plastic
material that enters
the environment
Tadweer 2020 Conduct an assessment of the
plastic quantities in the waste
management system in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and
develop the relevant database.
Abu Dhabi Investment
Office
Department
Economic
Development
2020 Conduct economic impact
assessment covering all
concerned stakeholders or those
affected by the policy and
propose instruments that
contribute to achieving policy
objectives.

5 Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy
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Supporting
entities
Entity Duration Instrument
Type
Instrument Policy
Objectives
AD Police,
Municipalities,
Tadweer, DCD,
Emirates Nature, AD
Ports and fishermen
Department of
Municipalities
and Transport &
Environment
Agency – Abu
Dhabi
2020 -
2021
Strengthening
and
implementing
the legal
framework
Develop regulations to reduce
littering.
Tadweer, Department
of Economic
Development and
retailers
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020
Establish an incentive-based
bottle return scheme
Department of
Economic Development
and, Department of
Municipalities and
Transport & Tadweer
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi 2020
Establish an operational system
to for the collection of recovered
plastic to be available for local
investment.
Ministry of Climate
Change and
Environment,
Emirates Authority for
Standardization and
Metrology, Department
of Economic
Development,
Environment Agency –
Abu Dhabi, Borouge,
Plastic production
sector, Industrial
Development Bureau
Abu Dhabi
Quality and
Conformity
Council
2020 -
2021
Work with the manufacturing and
production sector to shift towards
more sustainable plastic products
through developing specifications
of sustainable materials according
to the nature of their use.
Abu Dhabi Government
entities
Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020 -
2021
Campaigns
Declare Abu Dhabi government
entities free of single-use plastic Declaring Abu
Dhabi Government
free will be free of
single-use plastics
by the end of 2021. Implementation in liaison with
procurement departments in each
of the government entities.
All policy stakeholders Environment
Agency –
Abu Dhabi
2020 -
2021
Creating and
promoting
awareness
Develop and implement an
integrated media plan and
educational and awareness
campaigns for all target groups.
Implement campaigns in
collaboration with the relevant
organizations.
Changing public
behaviour towards
more sustainable
practices
Environment Agency –
Abu Dhabi and the
private sector
Department of
Community
Development
2020 -
2021
Community engagement
programmes targeting residents,
to encourage better sustainable
practices

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10. Priorities
Currently, with the absence of an Abu Dhabi baseline and based on a pre-cautionary principle, the policy focuses
response on the 16 priority single use plastic items which, with abandoned fishing gear, international studies
suggest account for 70% of total marine litter. These include:
1. Plastic bags
2. Cups and lids
3. Cutlery
4. Plates
5. Straws
6. Stirrers
7. Food containers
8. Plastic bottles
9. Cotton buds
10. Crisp packets
11. Sweet wrappers
12. Cigarette butts
13. Wet wipes and sanitary items
14. Sticks for balloons
15. Balloons
16. Microbeads (including nurdles).
10.1 The short-term focus is on eight priority single use plastic items with
clear behavioural or sustainable alternatives
Type 1: Single-use plastic bags
Methods in this regard will be progressive - from incentives to fees to full ban. Specifications for multiple-
use bags will be developed and fees will be introduced according to these specifications, along with
studying the possibility of providing a bag-for-life with a fee for the first time and its replacement for free
by retail outlets. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi will be also declared free of single-use plastic bags by 2021.

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Type 2-7: Other single use plastic items
They include cups and lids, cutlery (forks, spoons, knives, and chopsticks), plates, straws, and food
containers. A fee will be introduced to motivate consumers to change behaviour and use reusable
alternatives instead. They will be provided only if requested and will not be distributed free of charge to
consumers. Food containers and straws with specific specifications in fast food restaurants will be
excluded from the fees until sustainable alternatives are found, and restaurants and catering service
providers will be targeted with awareness campaigns on the impacts of using these materials on the
environment. EAD will also cooperate with the relevant government entities to include the use of multiple
use food containers in the requirements for companies working on government projects.
Type 8: Single-use plastic bottles
A bottle return scheme will be introduced in retail outlets based on the principles of Extended Producer
Responsibility, thereby establishing a closed loop system for plastic bottles by 2021. A deposit fee will
be introduced in case of a national regulation is developed in this regard.
The Abu Dhabi Government will be declared free of single use of plastic materials according to a
regulation to be issued by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi which specifies the materials to be
phased out. The declaration applies to Abu Dhabi Government entities in their offices, facilities or during
activities they carry out in external facilities, e.g in hotels.
Free distribution of single-use plastic items will also be banned in fast food restaurants, catering service
providers and other facilities with a similar nature of work.
Revenue from fees will be distributed in accordance with the forthcoming regulation. This is considered
one of the main instruments for the policy implementation. An Environment Fund will be established to
finance environmental activities and campaigns, which will be funded by these fees or their equivalent.
10.2 Medium term (by 2021) focus is on the transition to a closed loop circular
system driven by enhanced recycling; and addressing the next priority
plastics with some or no behavioural alternatives.
These materials include cotton buds, crisp packets, sweet wrappers, cigarette butts, wet wipes and
sanitary items, sticks for balloons, balloons, and microbeads (including nurdles).
In the medium term, the policy focuses on working with industry and waste stakeholder in Abu Dhabi to
transition towards a closed loop circular system for plastic production, recycling and reuse based on the
Extended Producer Responsibility principle.

8 Abu Dhabi Emirate Single Use Plastic Policy
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This medium-term policy effort will address the fundamental waste management gap identified in EAD’s
State of the Environment Report (2017): a lack of incentives and deterrents and the absence of adequate
infrastructure to encourage the proper management and treatment of waste.
• Wet wipes, balloons, and cigarette butts
Awareness campaigns on appropriate disposal will be implemented. Sector collaboration to work
on alternative non plastic design and a closed loop system by 2021.
• Crisp packets and sweet wrappers (packets)
Work will be conducted with the industry on more sustainable design and awareness of
appropriate recycling and disposal of these items based on the Extended Producer Responsibility
principle and towards a closed loop circular system for these materials by 2021.
• Microbeads used for beauty products
They require to be addressed by a special regulation at the national level to prevent their entry
into the country when sustainable alternatives are available.
• Plastic microbeads scattered on the beaches
The sources of these materials will be studied and managed.
10.3. Long term (2021 and beyond) vision
is to have moved to a post single
use-plastic era
This phase will ensure the transformation to a closed
loop circular system operational in Abu Dhabi
Emirate, and a culture of reuse and recycle firmly
embedded in society.
11. Compliance
Compliance will be addressed as part of the development of the Single Use Plastic Regulations, by EAD
and the introduction of fees and collection mechanisms and the bottle return scheme,

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12. Indicators and targets
1. First Indicator: The percentage of reduction in the single-use of plastic bags for
each customer, consumed in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
• Target: 100% reduction of these bags from the baseline of 2019.
• Rationale: This indicator is a proxy indicator for other types of target material in this policy.
The indicator will be calculated through data collected from major retail outlets through a circulated
system, which provides data permanently about the types of bags consumed and their numbers, in
cooperation with the Department of Economic Development.
2. Second Indicator: The percentage of the amount of plastic waste collected
through a plastic bottle return scheme to the total consumption of these
materials.
• Target: A 50% collection of this material in 2021 from the baseline of 2019.
• Rationale: This indicator measures the amount of plastic waste collected through the return
scheme.
• There is no baseline for this indicator yet.
3. Third Indicator: The percentage of government entities that ban single-use
plastics in their operations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
• Target: 100% of government entities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• Rationale: This indicator measures government entities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi that have
banned single-use materials in their operations.
Achievement of these policy targets will help support the achievement of the existing waste policy target
of 75% municipal solid waste diverted from landfill by 2021.