ABU DHABI (Feb. 16, 2 p.m. ET) -- The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) has said that all suppliers and manufacturers of bags to the country will need to be using oxo-biodegradable additives starting next year.

The official notice covers not just plastic bags, but also a range of packaging and disposable items such as semi-rigid plastic packaging for food and consumer-durables, waste bags and bin-liners, and shrink and pallet wrap amongst other items.

From now on, all plastic products will need a certificate issued by Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology (ESMA). However, these will be issued only for products made from oxo-bio plastic and these products must be made with pro-degradant additive from suppliers who have been audited by ESMA and they have to comply with UAE Standard 5009 of 2009.

ESMA announced that plastic bags and other plastic products would be inspected at port-of-entry and that consignments without an ECAS certificate would be impounded.