Styrofoam Ban Goes Into Effect in Abu Dhabi Starting June 1st

Abu Dhabi will implement a ban on styrofoam products such as cups, lids, plates, and takeaway containers starting June 1st, as part of a broader initiative to combat plastic pollution in the emirate. Spearheaded by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, the move is designed to support the reduction of single-use consumer products.

The ban follows the emirate's 2022 prohibition on single-use plastic bags, which significantly reduced plastic bag usage in the UAE, a country that previously used plastic bags at a rate four times the global average. The single-use plastic bag ban had removed 310 million bags from circulation and reduced bag distribution at retail counters by up to 95%. Additionally, more than 1,000 tonnes of plastic bottles were collected last year.

Items exempt from the styrofoam ban include large storage boxes, coolers, meat trays, fruit trays, ready-made dairy products and medical-use products. The ban will be enforced in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, which has informed over 50,000 businesses and 80 industrial facilities about the new regulations.

Meanwhile, Dubai will also introduce a law banning all single-use plastics, including certain types of bags, on June 1st.