Page 147 - Sparklo PR Report - April 2025

Abu Dhabi is leading the charge with its plastic free initiative (all thanks to you) | Time Out Abu Dhabi
Next up: the ban on single-use plastic bags. The results? A jaw-dropping 364 million fewer plastic bags floating
around – that’s 2,400 tonnes of plastic or the carbon footprint of 130,000 gas-guzzling cars annually. Talk
about a win for the planet.

Consumers have *really* stepped up to the challenge, too. Shoppers are now using just 0.4 plastic bags per
trip (that’s a huge drop from the three bags they used to grab) go, team! And reusable bags? They’ve seen a
2,000 percent jump, with a whopping 26,075 bags sold in 2023 compared to just 603 the year before.

As if that wasn’t enough, on 1 June 2024, Abu Dhabi banned certain styrofoam products, and retailers are all
in, with 97 percent compliance. This move is part of the city’s grand plan ahead of the federal ban in 2026 on
plastic and styrofoam products.

A recent survey shows that 84 percent of residents know about the policy, and 82 percent say it’s made their
lives better by contributing to cleaner beaches and waterways.

How do the reverse vending machines

work?

You’ll first need to have the Tadweer Rewards app downloaded on your phone. Head to one of the 25 RVMs
around Abu Dhabi and insert your used plastic bottle or aluminium can. AI cameras will scan the items and
then a QR code will be shown on the screen.

When you scan that code, the credit points will then be added to your app, which you can redeem on vouchers
or discounts. How handy is that?

Your points can be used when you purchase from partners, including:

Noon.com

Amazon
Lufthansa
Gourmet Lab
Max, Brands for Less

Filli
Emax

Dreamworks Spa

Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, said: “When we launched the Abu
Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy in 2020, which was followed by the ban on single-use plastic bags in 2022, we
were the first in the region to do so, setting very ambitious targets to meet our commitments to protect the
environment and mitigate the effects of climate change.

“We knew that a consumer change in behaviour was the key to us being able to reduce the reliance on single-
use plastics and nurture a culture of reuse and recycling. The Abu Dhabi community has proven to be more
than collaborative and proactive, and as a result, we have recorded, during the past two years alone, a
significant reduction of 364 million plastic bags. For context, this represents a 95 per cent reduction in the total
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