| Work Detail |
The key alliance extends the private sector campaign that has already reduced single-use bag consumption by 95%
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has collaborated with ADNOC Distribution to launch its Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) initiative, which will see the rollout of recycling facilities across ADNOC’s retail service stations.
Developed in partnership, the RVM launch coincides with World Environment Day and supports the UAE’s broader sustainability objectives. The collaboration also supports the implementation of Abu Dhabi’s Single Use Plastic Policy which was launched by EAD in 2020.
“Recently, we announced the remarkable success of the first year of our single-use plastic bag ban. To complement this success, we are always introducing similar initiatives to reduce single-use plastic in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. This bottle recovery initiative aims to dramatically recover single-use plastic bottles that harm our environment. This is because it takes 450 years for a single-use plastic bottle to degrade, which means that our terrestrial and marine environments will be filled with microplastic, affecting biodiversity, our ecosystems, and most importantly, human health,” said EAD Secretary General Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri.
In addition to collaboration with ADNOC Distribution, other major retailers support the initiative including Carrefour, Lulu, Abu Dhabi Coops, Choithrams, Spinneys, Waitrose and Spar. Through this partnership with the private sector, a substantial reduction of up to 95% in the number of plastic bags consumed has been achieved, a statement noted.
In addition to eliminating single-use plastic bags, the policy targets the recovery of 50% of single-use plastic water bottles consumed in Abu Dhabi, which amounts to 7,500t. This will be achieved by an incentive-based plastic bottles recovery scheme and the installation of smart recovery infrastructure, including Return Vending Machines (RVMs), smart bins and other door-to-door collection applications across Abu Dhabi.
To support the success of the bottle recovery initiative, EAD said that it has engaged key stakeholders such as large retailers, major attraction sites, and real estate developers, among others. The agency has also invited private sector packaging firms to participate in the project.
In addition, the EAD said it has been working with Veolia through its RECAPP initiative to deploy RVMs in prime locations with high footfall, including malls, academic institutions, the Abu Dhabi Corniche and other visitor attraction sites.
The initiative also comes under the umbrella of EAD’s ‘Mission to Zero’ outreach campaign that aspires to zero plastic, zero waste, zero emissions and zero harm to biodiversity. |
