Blue Seas: Freeing the Seas from Plastics
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TABLE 4.3
Plastic-Bag Regulations in Middle East and North Africa Countries, 2018 Country Algeria Bahrain Djibouti Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Morocco Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Syrian Arab Republic Tunisia United Arab Emirates Yemen, Rep.
Restrictions on plastic bags Import restrictions on plastic bags Regulates disposal only at national level (solid waste/litter regulation) Ban on nonbiodegradable plastic bags No law found Ban on plastic bags with thickness of 200 microns or less No law found Ban on local production, importation, marketing, and use of plastic-packaging bags Prohibition of the manufacture, import, export, marketing, and use of plastic bags Regulates disposal only at national level (solid waste/litter regulation) Regulates disposal only at national level (solid waste/litter regulation) Disposable plastic products made of polypropylene and polyethylene with film thickness equal to or less than 250 microns that are generally used for packaging, such as carrier bags, wraps, and similar applications must be of the oxo-biodegradable type and bear the prescribed logo No law found Ban on production, import, marketing, possession, and distribution of bags with a thickness of less than 40 microns or bags of low volumes with a capacity of less than 30 liters except for authorized biodegradable bags Manufacturers and suppliers of plastic bags must meet prescribed standards for oxo-degradable bags and distribute only complying products Ban on manufacture of plastic bags below 60 microns and import of plastic bags below 70 microns
Source: Adapted from UNEP 2018b.
Globally, certain other restrictions address the materials used to manufacture plastic bags, with the goal of phasing out nonbiodegradable plastic bags or to incentivize the production, import, or use of bags that are biodegradable, compostable, or both. For example, two countries require a certain type of recycled material: Austria requires plastic bags to have a certain amount (by weight) of materials that can be recycled. Italy bans nonbiodegradable bags and requires that bags intended to carry food products consist of at least 30 percent recycled plastics. The EU has also taken some important steps toward reducing the amount of littered plastic waste on its beaches and in the surrounding seas (box 4.9). A ban on plastic bags might include exemptions for specific uses. The exemptions can relate to certain activities and certain products. At the global level, 25 countries expressly provide exemptions in their bans, including for the handling and transport of perishable and fresh food items, carrying small retail items, scientific or medical research use, and waste storage and disposal. In the Middle East and North Africa, Saudi Arabia has exempted primary packaging for fresh, perishable, and other loose food as well as pharmaceutical products (UNEP 2018b).
