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Dubai: Plastic bags are on their way out and shops will be rewarded if they apply some new strategies to encourage customers to use alternative carry bags and reduce the use of plastics.
As an incentive shops could win a 'Green Store' award by Dubai Municipality if less plastic bags walk out of their stores with shoppers from January 2008.
It is estimated that 974 million plastic bags are used every year by shoppers in the UAE according to the My Bag My Earth Campaign launched by Dubai Municipality and the International Association of Human Values (IAHV).
The effect of stray plastic in the environment has much dire impacts on humans than the already lethal effect is has on marine species by polluting their ecosystem, it was highlighted.
About 100 representatives of leading shopping malls and retail stores in Dubai met yesterday to discuss options and strategies to reduce the use of plastic bags in Dubai.
The campaign has been endorsed by Princess Haya Bint Hussain, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
"Green Store Awareness Forum is the first time Dubai's retailers have to come together to arrive at practical solutions to reduce plastic bag consumption in this shopping destination of the world," said Abdullah Mohammad Rafia, Assistant Director General, Environmental and Public Health Department, Dubai Municipality.
Dr Prabhakar Rao, chief operating officer of IAHV said research findings suggest links between disintegrated plastic entering food chains and modern diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, bird flu and sexual disorders.
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