Mashable: The capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is soon applying a ban on the use of styrofoam products.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development announced on X that the Emirate will impose a ban on single-use styrofoam products from June 1, 2024.

According to the Gulf News, this move is expected to curb litter in the environment and is aimed at supporting efforts to cut the use of single-use consumer products.

Supporting efforts to reduce pollution and promote sustainable practices, @EADTweets and @AbuDhabiDED will ban the use of single-use Styrofoam products effective from 1 June 2024, reducing the consumption and production of single-use products in the emirate. pic.twitter.com/NSqoITX6WQ — مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) May 21, 2024

Under Abu Dhabi’s (EAD) Single-Use Plastic Policy which was launched in the year 2020, this ban on several Styrofoam products in the UAE capital targets avoidable, single-use consumer products.

Styrofoam is a type of plastic known as expanded polystyrene. Although it has a range of uses, it breaks easily into microplastics and can enter the food chain. Styrofoam can be harmful to human health and also affect biodiversity.

The ban on single-use styrofoam products comes two years after Abu Dhabi authorities banned single-use plastic bags in June 2022.

The Abu Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy was launched in May 2020. This initiative is an extension of Abu Dhabi’s Single-Use Plastic Policy. It also reportedly supports the aims of the Year of Sustainability.