François de Bie, chief commercial officer at Emirates Biotech/Image: Supplied
The UAE is set to significantly tighten its regulations on single-use plastics from January 1, 2026, as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) rolls out the second phase of Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022. The expanded measures will widen the scope of prohibited plastic products while carving out exemptions for plant-based and biodegradable alternatives, signalling a shift from outright bans to encouraging sustainable material innovation.
According to François de Bie, chief commercial officer at Emirates Biotech, the regulation is designed to address both environmental impact and long-term economic transformation.
“A few years ago, the UAE government implemented the Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022, a decree set to reduce pollution created by single use products, and at the same time a decree that was set to drive sustainability and circularity,” he said. “As of 1 January 2026, many single use products will become regulated and effectively banned by these regulations. The MOCCAE has provided some additional guidelines on how the decree should be interpreted.”
Under the new phase, a broad range of commonly used foodservice items will be prohibited if produced from traditional fossil-based plastics. From January 2026, beverage cups and lids, cutlery, straws, stirrers, and plastic and foam food containers used by restaurants, hotels, food service providers, and retail outlets will no longer be permitted unless they meet specific material criteria.
Read: UAE to expand single-use plastic ban from January 2026
“Only if these products are made from PLA biopolymers or other plant-based materials like paper, or wood, and if they have recycled content they will be exempted,” de Bie explained.
The regulations also introduce stricter controls on shopping bags. The use of single-use shopping bags, defined as those with a thickness of less than 50 micrometers, will be prohibited across the UAE. However, exemptions will apply for bags made from recycled materials or plant-based, biodegradable alternatives such as PLA or paper.
At an industry level, de Bie believes the updated framework marks a fundamental evolution in how plastics are viewed within the UAE’s sustainability agenda.
“With the SUP regulation, the UAE is set to reduce negative environmental impact of a broad range of commonly used and littered products,” he said. “With the exemption such as PLA biopolymers, the UAE moves the national strategy from a purely restrictive framework (banning problematic materials) to a restorative and innovative one (promoting sustainable and promising solutions).”
He added that the policy supports the development of a domestic bioeconomy aligned with the country’s industrial goals. “It underpins biopolymers like PLA as essential components of the UAE’s future circular ‘Make it in Emirates’ bioeconomy. The future of plastics in the UAE means the conversation is no longer just about the elimination of plastics, but rather the evolution of local produced, plant-based, and biodegradable materials.”
For businesses, the clarity provided by the exemptions could accelerate investment decisions that have previously been delayed by uncertainty.
“Without viable and legal alternatives, businesses will face operational disruptions,” de Bie said. “By clearly exempting plant-based material such as PLA, policymakers are providing crucial regulatory certainty. This reduces risks on investment for brand owners, retailers, and converters who hesitated to switch due to cost concerns, supply chain, and performance uncertainty.”
He noted that this certainty could dramatically shorten transition timelines. “This clarity will push the transition timelines faster that might otherwise have taken a decade into just a few months/years.”
While demand for compliant materials is expected to rise sharply, de Bie acknowledged that the market is still in a preparatory phase. Historically, the region has depended heavily on imported biopolymers, creating logistical and cost barriers.
“However, the landscape is changing rapidly in anticipation of 2026,” he said, pointing to the emergence of domestic PLA stocks and local warehousing as a critical development. “While challenges remain, the shift toward localised supply chains means the market will be significantly better prepared to meet the demand surge than it was a year ago.”
Local manufacturers, he added, will play a decisive role in making the transition successful. “UAE-based manufacturers, both raw material producers and converters are like the ‘engine room’ of this transition,” de Bie said. Beyond production, he stressed the importance of adapting machinery, retraining staff, and designing products with end-of-life considerations in mind to ensure that sustainability goals translate into real environmental outcomes.
As the 2026 deadline approaches, the expanded single-use plastics regulations are expected to reshape procurement strategies, manufacturing investments, and packaging choices across the UAE, reinforcing the country’s push toward circularity and sustainable industrial growth.
