Just 16 days to go for single-use plastic ban in Oman

Muscat: There are only 16 days left until single-use plastic bags are banned in Oman, and conservation authorities in Oman have asked people to prepare for this by adopting more sustainable methods to carry their items after shopping.

The Environment Authority on its Twitter platform, maintains a daily countdown of the number of days left before the ban comes into effect on January 1, 2021.

“As we count down to the new year, try to stay mindful of the impact your behaviour has on the environment,” said the Environment Society of Oman, a non-profit that works to spread awareness and preserve the country’s natural resources.

“Here are some top tips to consider: make eco-friendly consumer choices and switch to 100 percent recyclable calendars, cards and wrapping paper,” advised ESO.

“Say goodbye to single use plastics. Use a reusable bag and water bottle and bring your own reusable straw and utensils to places that serve disposable ones.

“Avoid food waste by planning meals ahead, rotating time-sensitive foods in your fridge and cupboards, freezing surplus foods and composting kitchen waste,” added the NGO. “Invest in energy-efficient appliances and decorations.”

Spreading awareness on the impact of plastic has long been a cornerstone of ESO’s environmental conservation policy. Last year, according to the body’s 2019 report, which was released earlier in 2020, ESO engaged in awareness campaigns at schools, while partnering with companies in the country to get the message out to the wider public.

“If we take the example of plastics in the environment, we can see that it is being discussed in many fora,” said ESO in its report. “However we will need to work collectively towards reducing our reliance on single-use plastics for a cleaner and healthier Omani environment.”

ESO also runs awareness campaigns advising people on the benefits of reducing household waste, and asking them to spread the word regarding environmental conservation.

Key to ESO’s message of recycling are the four Rs: refuse single use, reduce when you can’t refuse, reuse rather than discard, and as a last resort, recycle responsibly.
The decision to ban plastic bags is also in keeping with Royal Decree No. 23/2020, which sees Oman ratify the Montreal Protocols relating to amendments to Articles 50(a) and 56 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation signed in Chicago in 1944.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the Montreal Protocol is a “landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS).

“When released to the atmosphere, those chemicals damage the stratospheric ozone layer, Earth’s protective shield that protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun,” added UNEP.

“Adopted on 15 September 1987, the protocol is to date the only UN treaty ever that has been ratified by every country on Earth - all 198 UN member states.”