The company is phasing out single use plastic SIM

Virgin Mobile UAE has set the greentech ball rolling by unveiling the very first biodegradable SIM in the UAE. The SIM is constituted of oxo biodegradable plastic. It’s a unique plastic that gradually decays in the presence of Oxygen and UV radiation. The decomposition takes about 3-4 months which is literally light years faster than normal plastics that take hundreds of years to break down.

Rob Beswick, MD, Virgin Mobile UAE, said that the initiative is in line with the greater vision of UAE’s Green Agenda 2030 that seeks to bring about sustainable development with concrete actions in the areas of critical importance for the planet and people.

An estimated that annually about 14 million tonnes of plastics (including a sizable chunk of microplastics) are disposed of in the oceans. This adversely affects the marine ecosystem.

In 2021, Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa vowed to cut down its net carbon emission to zero and remove single use plastics from its products within 2021. The company has also partnered with Dubai Carbon Centre Of Excellence.

The operator now allows its users to convert their physical SIMs to eSIM from the convenience of home or office.