Dubai: Here’s how much single-use bags will cost from July 1

Dubai: Here’s how much single-use bags will cost from July 1

Mandatory tariff to be applied to covers made from plastic, paper, plant-based biodegradable materials

Published: Fri 10 Jun 2022, 7:23 PM Last updated: Fri 10 Jun 2022, 7:48 PM

Starting July 1, a mandatory tariff of 25 fils will be applied to all single-use bags made from plastic, paper, biodegradable plastic, and plant-based biodegradable materials, clarified Dubai Municipality.

The tariff would be charged on bags that are 57 micrometres thick, the Municipality said in a new list of guidelines released recently. A micrometre is one-thousandth of a metre, and the thickness of the plastic bags determines its strength. The thicker the plastic, the higher the cost.

“Each bag less than 57 micrometres thick, including bags made of plastic, paper, biodegradable plastic and plant-based biodegradable materials, will be charged 25 fils at the point of purchase at commercial outlets,” said the Municipality.

All stores must apply a charge of 25 fils for each single-use bag, and a different charge can be placed on sustainable or reusable alternatives if provided by the store. Moreover, stores are not obligated to provide free alternatives as the goal is to push a change in consumer behaviour in order to preserve the local environment, said the authority.

Here are some points of