A startup in Dubai aims to combat the impact of plastic use on the UAE's water, wildlife, and carbon footprint by producing a more eco-friendly version made from plants.

Source: TheNationalNews

Emirates Biotech, a newly established company, plans to manufacture bioplastics locally in the UAE and eventually export them to India, Turkey, and Europe.

The company is banking on the rise of an alternative plastic, PLA, derived from corn and sugar, for applications in household items and 3D printing to make a positive environmental impact.

Emirates Biotech is a collaboration between SS Royal Kit Emirates Investment, with Sheikh Suhail Al Maktoum as a shareholder, and Global Biopolymers Industries.

According to Marc Verbruggen, the CEO of Emirates Biotech, the carbon footprint of their product could be 30 to 50 percent lower than that of traditional fossil fuel-based plastics.

Moreover, waste like bottle caps could be composted and recycled within 90 days under suitable conditions.

To reduce waste, Dubai recently banned single-use plastic bags, while Abu Dhabi implemented this ban in 2022.

Microplastics have been discovered in oyster beds off the UAE coastline and in soil samples from Al Ain parks, prompting environmental concerns.

Camels have perished due to ingesting plastic waste, and studies indicate that the average UAE resident uses 450 water bottles annually.

At the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai last year, it was warned that continued growth in plastic consumption could exhaust a significant portion of the world's allowable CO2 emissions.