On 1 January 2013, a new law went into effect in the United Arab Emirates, banning the use of plastic bags – for previous coverage, see Plasteurope.com of 31.05.2011. Under it, all supermarkets in the country are only able to hand out oxo-biodegradable plastic bags, with the authorities announcing that the ban on both supply and use of other bags will be enforced from the beginning of 2013 onwards.

Enforcing the ban and implementing the necessary changes is the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA; www.esma.ae). Speaking to local media in December 2012, the authority’s director general Mohammed Saleh Badri said ESMA had conducted checks on different plastic bag manufacturers and would only accredit those that meet the new standards.

However, local media also speculate whether the new rules will bring about the proposed changes and at what cost. Already local recyclers have complained that the new oxo-biodegradable bags cannot be recycled in their facilities and are therefore likely to be dumped in landfill where they will break down but not degrade completely.

Reports also indicate that the government is planning to implement similar regulations for other household plastics, too. Quoting Badri, local sources say the authorities are looking into making everyday plastics more environmentally friendly and will review the issue again in mid-2013.