Page 41 - Plastics News January 2022

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

Single-Use Plastic Bags Could Be Banned In Canada Releases Draft

Abu Dhabi By End Of 2022 Regulation To Ban
Single-Use Plastics
in gle-use link between the use of single-use plastic
Splastic bags and (improved) safety from Covid-19,”
could be banned he said. People also needed to make sure he Canadian Government has
in Abu Dhabi by they safely disposed of the face masks Tpublished draft regulations that
the end of the they are using to keep themselves safe prohibit the use of some single-use
year, according in the pandemic, he added. “The value plastics in the country for public
to a senior figure of the mask is very important but the comment. Announced by Environment
from the emirate’s concern is many of them end up in the and Climate Change Minister Steven
e n vironme nt environment,” said Mr Bou Ghanem. Guilbeault and Health Minister Jean-
agency.The move “You need to ensure these products Yves Duclos, the draft regulations
had been expected to come into effect in end up in a proper bin or waste disposal include opinions obtained from
2020 but was put on hold by Covid-19. facility wherever you are.”Face masks consultations that were conducted
Monir Bou Ghanem, senior adviser to also pose a threat to animals because they by the government since 2019.The
the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, can choke on them or suffer problems proposed regulations provide how
said there were 15 to 16 items that would if the masks are eaten. Masks can also the country will ban the manufacture,
be targeted by the new scheme. These damage plant life. As well as the short sale and import of certain single-use
include plastic straws and disposable and medium-term effects on spreading plastic including plastic cutlery, stir
plates and cutlery, all commonly used Covid, damaging infrastructure, and sticks, straws, and six-pack rings. The
in takeaway meals.He said an incentive- animals who eat the waste, there is a government has urged stakeholders,
based bottle return scheme would also long-term problem that discarded masks partners, and Canadians to participate
be introduced in the capital when the can help transmit pollutants as well as in the consultation, which will continue
new rules come into effect, which he micro plastics that enter the food chain.
expected to happen before the end of The scope of Abu Dhabi’s new policy
2022. “We are at the final stages of includes developing legislation to limit
developing the regulations and are in the use of all plastic materials in the
close contact with the private sector,” emirate with a phased approach, with
he said, speaking on radio station Dubai incentives to target consumption of
Eye. “Single-use plastic bags are going single-use plastic bags, introduce fees on
to be completely banned and replaced some materials which have easily available
by multiple-use bags.” Globally, almost alternatives to prevent distribution of
300 million tonnes of plastic pollution single-use plastic materials free of charge
are produced each year, the equivalent and, finally, instigating a total ban on a until 5 March 2022. The ban is slated
weight of the human race, according to range of products. Reacting to the new to be implemented by the end of next
figures released by the UN Environment policy, Habiba Al Marashi, chairperson year after reviewing and considering
Programme. Only nine per cent of all of Emirates Environmental Group, comments from these consultations.
plastic ever produced has been recycled, told Gulf News on Tuesday, “The With this initiative, Canada would avoid
with the rest ending up in landfills, dumps move to phase out disposable plastic more than 23,000t of plastic pollution
or the natural environment. The UN bags starting with a stringent financial from entering the environment in over
estimated if current trends continue, levy on its use and a comprehensive a decade. Guilbeault said: “We are
the ocean could contain more plastic bottle return scheme is the right move taking action to get plastic pollution
than fish by the year 2050. Mr Bou forward towards reducing our excessive out of Canada’s communities and our
Ghanem said while the threat posed by consumption of disposable plastics in waterways. “The proposed Single-Use
the pandemic had not receded, fears the country. The bottle return scheme Plastics Prohibition Regulations are a
that multi-use bags could increase the will also help increase the rates of plastic big step forward in our goal to reduce
risk of infection had been disproved. bottle diversion away from landfill and plastic pollution and move to a circular
“Scientific evidence shows there is no increase recycling efforts in the UAE. economy for plastics.

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