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What’s the Alternative?

DUBAI — The ban on plastic bags by 2013 announced by the Ministry of Environment and Water on Tuesday must be backed by the development of a strong awareness campaign and easy accessibility to alternative eco-friendly solutions say environmentalists.

“People need to be convinced that there is a substitute and they too need to be environment friendly,” said Habiba Al Marashi, chairperson of Emirates Environmental Group.

In June, Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme called for a global ban on plastic bags. “Single use plastic bags which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere.
There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere,” he said.

The UAE Ministry announced the ban during a campaign launched in malls, supermarkets and schools to discourage the use of plastic bags. It will be following countries like San Francisco, China and Bangladesh in the total ban.

“UAE has taken a step in the right direction but in a community that it transient, this awareness campaign has to be ongoing,” said Al Marashi.

Many supermarkets have incorporated methods to encourage shoppers to make the shift by selling jute and cotton bags and charging for plastic bags.

“Even with alternative solutions, there is generally a debate on the use of paper bags which is not see as an eco-friendly solution. It is about the wise use of products,” she said. Some of the eco-friendly alternatives include jute, cotton, nylon

The Emirates Environment Group has been working since 1992 towards the ban on blue plastic bags that Al Marashi said are not recyclable since they have less than 10 microns.

Schools in the UAE advocate the use of bags made of bio-degradable materials by involving the students in collection drives and rewarding them for using substitutes.

“Ever since the school has given us these jute bags we have made the shift,” said eco-warriors Megan Smith and Raqshanda Khan of the Royal
Dubai School.

Grade 6 student, Jasmine Giffiths said the idea resonates with her parents as well and her family has successfully discontinued the use of plastic bags.

“We use the jute bag for groceries, to carry book and many other things,”
she said.

At the Uptown High School, more than 100 students teamed up with Spinneys to collect plastic bags. “For every 15 plastic bags they collected, the students were given a jute bag and a letter of appreciation,” said Yasmine Al Farra, the spokesperson.

“We have noticed a considerable reduction in the use of plastic bags among the students at school,” she said.
 afshan@khaleejtimes.ae