Dubai is renewing its push towards a more sustainable and greener future with a total ban on all single-use bags, regardless of the material, from June 1.
Retail outlets will no longer be allowed to charge 25 fils for single-use bags at checkout, and are not obliged to offer alternatives. Included in the ban are paper and biodegradable bags.
This is part of an initiative to completely phase out single-use products to minimise plastic waste and foster a culture of recycling among businesses and the community.
Businesses caught breaking the rule will be fined Dh200 ($55). This penalty will be doubled for repeat offences within a year, with a cap of Dh2,000.
The new ban comes six months after Dubai phased out single-use plastic bags across retail outlets.
“Single-use plastic kills more than 100,000 marine animals in a year,” read a banner held by a diver at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo as part of an awareness campaign to highlight the adverse impact of plastic waste on marine life.
It urged residents to “be part of the change and switch to reusable cloth bags”.
Why ban biodegradable bags?
Even though they are more eco-friendly, recycling biodegradable bags is a challenge.
They require their own recycling process and cannot be clubbed with other plastic.
And, if left in landfills, they create microplastics that enter the food chain.
What’s banned, and what’s not
According to the guidelines issued by Dubai Municipality, the new ban will apply to all single-use bags, including paper, biodegradable and recycled plastic that are 57 micrometres (0.057mm) thick or less.
Customers can use bags that are 58 micrometres thick and above.
Bread bags, rubbish bin liners, rubbish bags and wrapping bags for vegetables, meats, fish and chicken will be exempt from the rule, and so will bags used for laundry, electronic devices and grains.
Dubai’s three-phase ban on single-use plastic
Further bans will be in place over the next few years.
- June 1, 2024: Ban on all single-use bags.
- January 1, 2025: Ban will extend to include styrofoam containers and cups, plastic stirrers, straws, table covers and cotton swabs.
- January 1, 2026: Final phase will see ban on single-use plastic cups, lids and cutlery, plastic food containers and plates.
It was in 2024 that the UAE introduced a nationwide ban on single-use plastic.
According to the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, single-use plastic was reduced by 95 per cent in the first year of the ban.
In Abu Dhabi, a ban on styrofoam comes into effect today.
Making the switch to eco-friendly products
Supermarket chains in Dubai are already stepping up efforts to tackle plastic pollution.
Warwick Gird, GM marketing at Spinneys Dubai, said the chain stopped offering single-use plastic bags to customers from mid-2022 and replaced them with reusable alternatives.
Spinneys offers 100 per cent post-consumer recycled material bags for Dh1, and reduce 25 fils off their customers' shopping bills if they reuse the bags, said Mr Gird.
The retailer is also “taking action ahead of the legislation with regards to other single-use materials in stores and are transitioning out of single-use plastic cutlery and polystyrene packaging materials”, he added.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
