Middle East Plastics Reusability:
Plastic trash contributes to at least 10% of the regional waste generated, making proper disposal one of the region’s most pressing environmental concerns. Every year, people in the UAE consume around 4 billion plastic bottles. Over 40 percent of all plastic used there is disposable, leaving a disastrous effect on local wildlife. Additionally, traditional construction materials have a significant impact on the environment due to their production process.
Dubai has launched a campaign called “Dubai Can” in an effort to spur behavioral change and create a more sustainable consumption mentality. With the support of governments, corporations, and the general public, swift and drastic change needs to be implemented in the region. The Middle East will get closer to its net-zero objectives if it adopts more sustainable construction techniques and uses recycled plastic material. Reusing plastic would not only help the environment, but it would also generate approximately 13,000 new jobs, and add up to $3 billion to the economy by 2040.
Recycled Plastics For Buildings: A Credible Option For High-Emission Construction Materials
As a substance that facilitates increased recycling and reuse of existing resources, recycled plastics can contribute to emission reductions. Green concrete can be produced with plastic waste as a component. In addition, recycled plastics may replace materials with significant emissions, like brick or steel. Plastics have been used in construction for a while now, but this trend has been slow to catch on. This is largely due to lingering doubts about the safety of using plastics during construction, as well as false beliefs about the harmful effects of plastics if they catch fire. The Middle East region may become a world leader by employing recycled plastics in construction.
Altering Consumer Mindsets Is The Key To A Plastic-Free Future
Some individuals still refuse to recycle because they don’t want to deal with the hassle, while others forget to bring their reusable shopping bags. Changing one’s mindset is perhaps the most difficult challenge to overcome. Although consumers are resistant to change, they can be encouraged, pushed, educated, and incentivized into making permanent behavioral changes. In addition, as a sustainability and environmental measure, shops in Dubai will begin charging consumers for single-use plastic bags to eliminate them within two years, starting on July 1st.
Limiting The Consumption Of Single-Use Plastics
Due to the Dubai Can effort, the number of single-use plastic bottles has been reduced by 3.5 million. Forty-six fountains have been placed across the emirate as part of the Dubai Can project since its commencement on February 15th. Further, the campaign can now count on the support of over 750 municipal stakeholders who have signed on as official partners. It is hoped that this will motivate everyone in the city, both natives and visitors, to become more ecologically conscious in their daily lives and to support businesses that share this goal.
