Abu Dhabi reduces half a million plastic bags a day

The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi said the reduction is equivalent to half a million plastic bags a day, with the overall use of single-use plastic bags down by more than 90 per cent

Abu Dhabi has reduced the use of single-use plastic bags in retail stores by 87 million since the emirate introduced a ban on June 1.

Abu Dhabi banned single-use plastic bags to protect the environment and address the high rate of plastic bag use across the UAE, which is almost four times the global average.

According to figures issued by the World Government Summit in February 2019, 11 billion plastic bags are used in the Emirates each year.

Estimates suggest around 13 million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s oceans each year globally.