‘Ban on single-use plastic bags did not achieve goals’ in Oman

‘Ban on single-use plastic bags did not achieve goals’ in Oman

Oman banned the import of plastic bags from January 1, 2023 Muscat: The ban on the use of single-use plastic bags, which was implemented in the Sultanate of Oman in 2024, is yet to yield 100 per cent results, according to top official of Environment Authority (EA). Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of EA, said that the decision was to ban only the use of plastic bags that are less than 50 microns. "Bags that weigh more than 50 microns are still on the market. These bags are easy to collect from places and do not fly around and land in places such as the seas and mountain tops. The decision did not achieve its ultimate goal, but we hope to make amends in the future," he said. It may be noted that while several retailers encourage reusable bags, including cotton-made, thicker plastic reusable bags are still available across the country, leaving it to the consumers to decide whether they need to use them or not. "These days all supermarkets offer plastic bags and customers use them as per their requirements or commitment to the cause of saving the environment. I always wonder whether they lifted the ban