Dubai Airports has pledged to ban single-use plastic from consumer spaces at the world’s busiest international airport, Al Maktoum, effective January 1, 2020.
Every year Dubai Airports recycles over 43,000 tonnes of paper, glass and other waste. Over the past six months alone, the company collected and disposed of 16 tonnes of single-use plastic bottles and bottle caps.
“At an airport that hosts some 90 million people per year, we believe we can make a tangible difference by eliminating single use plastics in consumer spaces,” said Eugene Barry, executive vice president, commercial at Dubai Airports.
“Today we are making a commitment to work with all of our concession and hospitality partners to achieve
that goal effective January 1, 2020.”
The announcement was made on June 10, following a World Environment Day collaboration between Dubai Airports and more than 100 businesses operating at the airport. Together they showcased the positive impact that can be made by eliminating practices and materials that can harm the environment.
A variety of measures were put in place, including banning plastic utensils, bags and paper receipts. One of the most overused examples of single-use plastic included in the elimination efforts is straws, and in just one day the pledge prevented the distribution of more than 150,000 of them.