Dubai Can initiative slashes usage of over 3.5 million single-use plastic bottles

The city wide sustainability initiative, Dubai Can, has witnessed a reduction in the usage of an equivalent of over 3.5 million 500ml single-use plastic water bottles.

The feat has been achieved as measured by water consumed from Dubai Can water fountains installed throughout the city.

During the last six months, 46 fountains were installed across the emirate, including at public parks, beaches and tourist attractions. The fountains are currently installed in various Dubai neighbourhoods, including Kite Beach, Dubai Marina, JLT, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Harbour, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Festival City, Khawaneej, and others. The sustainability initiative aims to install more than 50 fountains across the city by December this year.

The campaign was launched in February 2022, by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

Read: Dubai Can: Free drinking water to be made available across city

The Dubai Can initiative aims to bring about a mindset change in how the city’s residents view sustainability, starting from individual transformation to the level of community, city, nation, and beyond, a statement said.

Yousuf Lootah, executive director – Tourism Development and Investments, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “While encouraging residents and visitors to commit to a paradigm shift in their lifestyles, this initiative has a larger goal: creating a city that is the world’s most visited and the best place to live and work in, as envisaged by the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.”

#Dubai Can Initiative cuts single-use plastic bottle usage by 3.5 Million as the sustainability movement celebrates six-month milestonehttps://t.co/mnQWGAWTea pic.twitter.com/Pf3nprchkR

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 7, 2022

The campaign champions the optimum use of natural resources to boost sustainability and since its launch, has extended beyond the fountains, with people encouraged to purchase refillable bottles for use at the fountains and in their homes and hotels. Over the last six months, the Dubai Can initiative has been supported by over 750 stakeholders, sponsors and partners from across the public and private sectors.

The focus on reducing the usage of single-use plastic bottles is the first phase of the citywide sustainability initiative. Dubai approved a policy earlier this year to impose a tariff of 25 fils on single-use bags for carrying goods starting July 1.

Read: Dubai to impose tariff on single-use plastic bags from July 1

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi also announced in April that it would  ban single-use plastic bags, effective June 1, 2022.

Read: Abu Dhabi to ban single-use plastic bags from June 1