Local marine conservation organization Azraq is challenging retail outlets throughout the United Arab Emirates to follow in the footsteps of their partners at Lush Cosmetics Middle East and do away with plastic bags.

The challenge comes as part of Azraq’s newest campaign #MyBagAintPlastic, which follows on the footsteps of similar campaigns highlighting the impacts of marine debris in the region.

With as many as 13 billion plastic bags being used in the United Arab Emirates each year, or 350 plastic bags every second, plastic bags are within the top five items found when undertaking beach cleans globally.

Natalie Banks, Founder of Azraq stated that the issue with plastic bags was not just their impacts on the environment, but that recycling them is problematic.

“Less than 1% of all bags sent to recycling plants worldwide end up being considered suitable for recycling,” Ms Banks said.

“Most bags end up in landfill and waterways for hundreds of years, leaching toxins into water supplies and blocking local drainage systems.”

In 2014, The Environmental Agency Abu Dhabi reported that discarded plastic bags were believed to be the cause of 50% of camel deaths in the United Arab Emirates each year.

The campaign is estimated to run for a year in stages, the first stage recently announced was a design competition for Azraq’s tote bags that will highlight the issue of plastic bags in the natural environment.

The competition, which will be judged by representatives from Azraq and Lush Middle East, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine, Middle East, Mili Midwood, will be held online and is open to all residents within the United Arab Emirates . The competition is running until the end of May, and the winners will be announced in early July. In addition, the campaign will be highlighting the impacts of plastic bags through traditional and social media and the alternatives available to using single use plastic bags.

To find out more about the campaign and the competition, head to https://azraqme.org/mybagaintplastic