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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Single-use plastic ban in force from Friday

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With only a few days left for Oman to implement the decision to ban the use of single-consumption plastic shopping bags, all eyes are on its effectiveness at all levels.


As part of its awareness campaigns, the Environment Authority (EA) said that the multi-use (environmentally friendly) bags made of several materials such as cloth, paper and other organic materials are available at commercial stores.


While both citizens and residents have welcomed the decision, there is still some skepticism about the teething issues it will cause in the early days.


“Firstly, we have to wait and see whether supermarkets will implement this on January 1. This will the biggest step for a better environment in Oman and let us hope for a good beginning of 2021,” said a resident.


Another resident suggested that Oman like other countries should tell customers, “you either pay for a bag or you take your own reusable ones.”


“Plastic bags contain high levels of lead, and when you throw them under the sun, they emit gases that are harmful to human health,” the authority said.


A per the Ministerial Resolution 23/2020 issued on March 15 this year, single-use plastic shopping bags will be banned from January 1, 2021.


Article 1 prohibits companies and institutions from using single-use plastic shopping bags that are used and disposed of after single use to preserve the Omani environment.


Article 2 imposes an administrative fine of no less than RO 100, and no more than RO 2,000 for anyone who violates the provisions of this decision, and doubled in the case of repeated violations, without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated by the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Law.


It is reported that this decision was made according to the Law on Environmental Protection and Pollution Control issued by Royal Decree 114/2001, and Royal Decree 18/2008 defining the terms of reference of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs and adapting its organisational structure.


Several countries have warned against distributing plastic bags in stores in many cities due to their harm to humans and the environment.


Vinod Nair


@vinot_nair


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