An Empirical Investigation on Plastic Waste Issues and Plastic Disposal Strategies to Protect the Environment: A UAE Perspective

Abstract

Due to the rise in waste, both developed and developing countries’ municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal systems are overburdened. The increased inflow of used plastic water bottles has rendered the situation difficult. Plastic usage in several forms is becoming indispensable in daily life, despite its harmful effects on humans and animals in general. Government bodies are eager to cut plastic usage in several forms, but the manufacturing costs and selling prices make it difficult to replace plastic with materials that are safe for living bodies. One such problem lies in the form of the water bottle. The use of plastic in water bottles is much more common in Gulf countries because of their geographical position and the scarcity of potable water. The large amount of plastic waste created by used water bottles is a very critical issue, as it has a severe environmental effect and is a hurdle in efforts to foster sustainable development and green initiatives. The present research undertook an empirical investigation on plastic waste issues, environmental concerns, and various mitigating initiatives. It further investigated the waste management system using closed-loop recycling for water bottles as an efficient means of managing MSW and protecting the environment in the UAE. A survey was initiated and distributed among the UAE population to study the feasibility of building such a system. The responses to the plastic waste issue and mitigating solutions were found to be encouraging. The statistical analysis showed a higher mean value of up to 4.47 on the 5-point Likert scale.