The UAE's minister of environment and water, HE Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, last week expressed his confidence that the UAE would achieve its target of becoming free of plastic bags by 2013.
The announcement came at the inauguration of the 10th edition of ArabPlast and Tekno/Tube 2011 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, according to Business Intelligence Middle East.
Dr Bin Fahad commented: 'The UAE and the entire GCC region are at the forefront of countries preserving the environment when it comes to producing plastics. The UAE will be free of plastics bags in 2013. The national plastics and petrochemicals companies are adhering to the environmental measures we have in place to enhance the environmentally friendly approach of the UAE as part of their corporate social responsibility towards the community. Their adherence to environment measures also enhances their global competitive edge.'
The UAE currently consumes approximately 20bn plastic bags a year, out of a global figure of 500bn, according to the organisers of the ArabPlast exhibition.
Dr Bin Fahed added that the GCC plastics industry was committed to 'developing products and implementing practices that can contribute to a cleaner, safer and better world'.
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