Abu Dhabi to ban single-use Styrofoam products from June 1

ABU DHABI: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has announced a ban on single-use Styrofoam products effective June 1, 2024, as part of its Single-Use Plastic Policy launched in 2020.

As per details, the ban targets single-use consumer products, including styrofoam cups, lids, plates, beverage containers, and food containers for immediate consumption.

However several products are exempted from this ban including non-single-use products like big storage boxes, coolers, trays for meat and fruit, and products designed for medical use.

The ban aims to reduce litter and microplastics, which can harm human health and biodiversity. EAD will provide support to government and private sector entities to facilitate the shift towards reusable solutions.

The Abu Dhabi single-use plastic policy follows the successful implementation of the Abu Dhabi single-use plastic policy, which reduced the consumption of 310 million single-use plastic bags by April 2024.

Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said: “As an extension of the Abu Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy which we initiated in 2020, and following the extremely successful ban on single-use plastic bags in 2022 and the introduction of the Single-Use Plastic Bottle Return Scheme in 2023, effective from June 1 2024 there will be a ban on some Styrofoam products in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Moreover, the policy reduced the number of bags distributed by retailers by up to 95 percent. That is equivalent to over 2,000 tonnes of single-use plastic bags. In addition, the policy helped collect over 1,000 tonnes of bottles, equivalent to 67 million bottles.