Muscat: Only 5 days are left for Oman to start implementing the decision to ban the use of single-consumption plastic shopping bags.
As part of its awareness campaigns, the Environment Authority (EA) has said that the multi-use (environmentally friendly) bags made of several materials such as cloth, paper, and other organic materials available in commercial stores.
"Plastic bags contain high levels of lead, and when you throw them under the sun, they emit gases that are harmful to human health," a statement said.
A per the Ministerial Resolution 23/2020 on March 15, 2020, single-use plastic shopping bags will be banned from January 1, 2021.
Article 1 prohibits companies and institutions from using single-use plastic shopping bags that are used and disposed after single once in order to preserve the Omani environment.
Article 2 imposes an administrative fine of no less than RO100, and no more than RO2, 000 for anyone who violates the provisions of this decision, and doubled in the case of repeated violations of the violation, without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated by the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Law.
It is reported that this decision was made according to the Law on Environmental Protection and Pollution Control issued by Royal Decree114/2001, and Royal Decree 18/2008 defining the terms of reference of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs and adapting its organizational structure.
Several countries have warned against distributing plastic bags in stores in many cities due to their harm to humans and the environment.
Here are some of the risks plastic bags pose, according to study.com
Animals - birds, marine life, cattle, and more - often mistake plastic bags for food or nest-building materials, which leads to poisoning, choking, entanglement, and blocked intestines - all of which can result in death.
Since plastic bags can't biodegrade, they last virtually forever (some estimates say 500+ years). Instead, they break down into smaller pieces (called microplastics) that leach toxicants that pollute the earth and even the human food supply.
Due to their lightweight, plastic bags can easily blow out of trash receptacles or even landfills. They then clog up waterways, damage agricultural land, and provide ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Plastic bags are manufactured using petroleum, a nonrenewable resource that can be used for several more important things.
As a result of the growing plastic bag problem, some countries, states, and localities are taking action and putting a halt to plastic bag use completely. Other areas have begun to charge retailers or customers who choose to use plastic bags in an effort to curb their popularity. Let's take a closer look.
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