Single-use plastic shopping bags banned from 2021

MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has banned the usage of single-use plastic shopping bags starting from January 2021 in order to control pollution and implement the law on environmental protection.

The Omani Environment Authority said in a statement, “The decision to ban the use of single-consumption plastic shopping bags will come into effect on January 1, 2021, are you ready?.”

According to local media, the ban decision had been issued in March 15 by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs which prohibits companies and institutions from using single-use plastic shopping bags that are used and disposed after single once in order to preserve the Omani environment.

Under the law, an administrative fine of no less than 100 Omani rials, and no more than 2, 000 Omani rials for anyone will be imposed against the violations. The fines will be doubled in the case of repeated violations.

Oman is renowned as a travel destination for its desert camping and turtle-watching which attracted more than 3.5 million tourists in 2019 with an increase of 8.14 per cent as compared to 2018.

Many Gulf countries including  United Arab Emirates (UAE) have taken measures to curb usage of single-use plastic bags for environmental protection.