Ajman is set to become the first in the UAE to ban plastic bags. The environment-friendly initiative is expected to take the shape of a local order by November-end and will be executed in the new year.
Shopping bags made of fabric will replace plastic bags following a decision by Shaikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Director of the Ajman Municipality and Planning Directorate. Details of the initiative will be unveiled by October-end.
“We want to preserve the Ajman environment,” said Khalid Moeen Al Hosani, Director of the Health and Environment Department, “while inculcating in minds the danger of using bags considered non biodegradable.” All sectors in Ajman will have to strictly abide.
 
The first step will be to regularly monitor hypermarkets and other retail outlets. “We will also ban plastic bag distributors from distributing at any of Ajman’s markets,” Al Hosani said.
 
“The programme will be implemented in planned phases,” he said. “We will soon organise a meeting with owners of grand shopping malls, informing them about the objectives of our initiative and when (it) will come into (force).”
 
Suggestions will be invited from the owners and they will be given time to exhaust their stock of plastic bags. “Mall owners will also be invited to sponsor and be a strategic partner in this environment friendly project,” he said.
 
Al Hosani said the department will list factories producing plastic bags and the quantity produced, consumed and exported in the country. “We will also list factories producing biodegradable bags,” he added.

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