Plastic bag ban helps to save camels' lives, study suggests

Number of camels found dead having ingested plastic in UAE falls by 60-80 per cent, says researcher

A 2021 study revealed that the stomachs of about 300 dead camels analysed since 2008 had contained indigestible plastic material. Victor Besa / The National

The nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags has been praised for helping to save the lives of the UAE's camel population.

The number of camels found dead with plastic bags in their stomachs has fallen by up to 80 per cent after restrictions were introduced by the government, new research has found.

Dr Ulrich Wernery, scientific director of Dubai’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, said the improvement was “tremendous”, but warned that camels are still eating plastic rope.

Abu Dhabi banned single-use plastic bags on June 1, 2022, while a UAE-wide prohibition came into force from the start of 2024.

Importing plastic cutlery, drinks cups, boxes and styrofoam will be banned from January 1, 2026.

“There’s a very good reduction in plastic bags in the UAE and we can judge it very well,” Dr Wernery said. “We do not find a lot of camel cases with plastic [bags] in their stomach.

Dr Ulrich Wernery, scientific director of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai. The National

“The last year we’ve seen a tremendous, very good reduction by 60 to 80 per cent. This is most probably because there’s a ban.”

A 2021 study co-authored by Dr Wernery revealed that the stomachs of around 300 dead camels analysed since 2008 at the veterinary research laboratory had contained polybezoars, or large lumps of indigestible plastic material, typically bags and ropes.

These can weigh as much as 53kg and cause the animals to starve to death by creating painful internal blockages and making the number of bacteria inside the camels increase, resulting in infections.

At the time of the study, about one in 100 camel deaths in the UAE were thought to be due to the animals eating plastic waste.

Plastic scourge

Dr Wernery said that camels eating the plastic ropes used to hold their hay bales remains “a severe problem”.

The UAE environment continues to be polluted by other plastic items, including plates, cutlery, straws and cups, he added.

“There are always very good alternatives, not straws [made] out of plastic,” he said. “They make straws out of plants.”

While the situation on land has improved in the UAE, plastic pollution remains at the same levels in the sea, said Dr Wernery.

Abu Dhabi's 2022 plastic bag ban – in pictures

Shoppers pack goods into long-life bags at the checkout. Abu Dhabi's authorities opted for a total ban instead of a charge per bag.

Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, centre, white mask, secretary general of Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, visits Lulu Supermarket in Mushrif Mall on the first day of a ban on plastic shopping bags. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Long-life shopping bags made of jute and cotton on display at Lulu in Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi.

Signs at Spinneys on Abu Dhabi's Muroor Road inform the public that from June 1, 2022, shops cannot stock single-use plastic bags.

Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own but can also buy long-life bags in shops.

Exceptions to the ban include plastic packaging used to wrap meats and thin poly bags for vegetables and grains.

Supermarket staff pose for a photo with trolleys full of long-life bags.

In early June, Abu Dhabi marked the third anniversary of its plastic bag ban, which had reduced the number of plastic bags used by 360 million at the end of 2024.

Effective measure

Farah Al Hattab, a plastics campaigner at Greenpeace Mena, said plastic bag bans and charges can be effective.

“In countries that implement these measures effectively, they can lead to a noticeable reduction in visible litter in the short term,” she said.

“However, a concerning trend is the increased use of thicker, [paid-for] plastic bags, which are often more environmentally damaging and harder to manage within already strained waste systems.”

She said that bans must be “part of a broader strategy” in the region that includes reduced production of plastic items such as bags, bottles and microbeads in cosmetics.

“Investing in and scaling up refill and reuse systems is key,” she added. “These systems offer practical, sustainable alternatives that can replace single-use plastics and help shift consumer behaviour.”

Ms Al Hattab said the region should revive and modernise traditional practices, such as the use of clay or glass for storage, and shoppers bringing their own containers.

“These low-waste habits are rooted in our cultural heritage, and by adapting them to today’s needs, we can reduce waste while reconnecting with more sustainable ways of living,” she said.

She said that at international negotiations in August, the region’s leaders should push for a strong plastics treaty that includes targets to reduce global pollution, scale up re-use of plastic and ban single-use plastics.

Ms Al Hattab said plastic waste “continues to be a growing threat to the environment, human health and livelihoods”.

“Plastic is now found in the oceans, soil, air and even inside our bodies, a sign of its increasing pervasiveness,” she said.

“Research shows that fish consumed daily across Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, the UAE and Oman contain significant amounts of microplastics and, in some cases, macroplastics.”

Turtles off the UAE are being harmed by eating plastic. A 2021 study found that more than half the turtles found dead off Sharjah had eaten marine debris, such as netting or pieces of plastic. More than 150 pieces of debris were found inside the body of one turtle.

Plastic bag bans or charges have been introduced in more than 100 countries and have significantly reduced consumption.

A recent study in the US showed that restrictions cut not just plastic bag use, but also the amount of plastic bag litter in the environment.

In the UK, charges for single-use plastic bags were introduced in Wales in 2011 before being brought in England and Scotland.

Jane Martin, chief executive of City to Sea, a UK organisation that campaigns against plastic pollution, said the effect of the restrictions had generally been “very positive”.

“Definitely in the UK it’s been successful,” she said.

Consumer behaviour had changed and resulted in a reduction in plastic bag pollution, Ms Martin added.