Oman

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation

Charge for single-use plastic products (e.g. shopping bags, straws)

Names of actions:
Ministerial Resolution 23/2020

Targeted products:
The plastic bags used in the markets, fish markets and in all parks, coffee shops and restaurants and even between the public

Brief description:
Oman has pan using the single use plastic to conserve the Omani environment.

Regulation on microplastics

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
Environment Society of Oman in collaboration with European Union and the European Environmental Bureau share the EU experience on environmental issue, specifically the issue of plastic pollution with different groups and organizations across Oman including governmental and private sectors.

Measures

Achievements

Environmentally sound waste management

Enforcement of proper waste management system

Names of actions:
Oman comply and accept amendments to annexes II, IIIV and IX to the Basel Convention

Brief description:
Oman will allow the imports of plastic covered by waste code B3011 as of 2021, as long as Such plastic waste falls within the scope of the newly created waste code B3011.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

3.2.2 Prevention of littering, illegal dumping and unintentional leakage of waste into the ocean

Names of actions:
• Oman has stated the guideline no (159\2005) which determine the chemical parameters and physical parameters along with biological parameters of the discharged water coming from the desalination plants and any discharged sources.

This guideline had maintained the seawater quality in Oman

• The guideline also stated conditions for establishing any construction along the coastline to conserve the marine environment

• There are conditions diving, dumping and other activities which can maintain the coral reef in Oman.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
The water quality in Oman is monitored regularly and it is in a good case

Measures

Achievements

Cleanup of marine plastic litter

Collection of scattered waste on beach

Names of actions:
Survey to sort the AMDs (Anthropogenic Marine Debris )in coastal area in Oman

Brief description:
The survey targeting collection, sorting and determined which materials are more abundance along the coastal line

We see a positive improvement from last two years

3.3.2 Removal of plastic litter from the ocean

Names of actions:
Environment authority has done a lot of campaigns to collect the litters from the ocean like take out the fishing nets which tapped the coral reef, these campaigns done with collaboration of volunteer’s divers.

Also, a lot of campaigns done to release the turtles and whales from the fishing gears.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Promotion of innovative solutions

Policy actions for encouraging plastic alternatives (e.g. biodegradable plastics, circular product design – including use of recycled materials or closed loop recycling and so on’)

Names of actions:
Recycled bags is one of the alternatives to the consumers because the country already pan the single used plastics

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Education and awareness raising

Education system for encouraging public awareness on MPL issues

A lot of programs done for schools and higher education raising the MPL issues

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Awareness raising campaigns related to MPL

Local level:

Names of actions:
the governmental sectors with cooperation with private sectors and NGOs are doing campaigns regularly

Brief description:
The campaigns are not targeting the open beaches only but also the mangrove habitats

International / Regional level:

Names of actions:
Clean up Oman with collaboration with NUEP

Brief description:
Campaign’s done with cooperation with schools, university and colleges and it is funded by UNEP

National level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Local level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

International / Regional level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Monitoring & Scientific research on marine plastic litter

Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Names of actions:
Published papers entitled Shore litter along sandy beaches of the Gulf of Oman by (Claereboudt MR.,2004)

Published paper entitled Fishing gear dominates marine litter in the Wetlands Reserve in Al Wusta Governorate, Oman (van Hoytema, et al.,2020)

Conferences, webinars and other events hold by Sultan Qaboos university attended by experts from oversea to share information and methodologies to study marine litters and microplastics

1) Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
A lot of papers targeting studying MPLs in Oman will be published later on by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).

Engagement in international/regional level actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Names of actions:
Participating with UNEP to have standardized frame work and guideline to reduce the plastic litters from the ocean

Brief description:
Oman was participating to the UNEA member states discussions on marine litter and microplastics that come to an end in 2020. The meetings still continuous via online due to the current situation of COVID-19, next meeting will be in February 2022