Qatar bans plastic food packaging

Deadline set to phase out plastic food packaging

Qatar becomes the first country in the region to prohibit the use of plastics to serve hot food

By Noimot Olayiwola
Staff Reporter

Dr Mohamed al-Thani and other senior officials during the press conference yesterday

The Supreme Council of Health’s National Food Control Committee yesterday set a 90-day deadline for bakeries, restaurants and other outlets to phase out the use of plastic bags or wraps, newspaper or any other printed material for packing hot bread and other food items, either raw or cooked.
Restaurants serving tea, coffee and other hot beverages were asked to stop serving them in plastic, foam or cork cups after the 90 days.
The use of plastic bags for packing pastry products that are not frozen as well as the use of plastic plates and other utensils have also been banned in eateries.
Qatar will become the first country in the region to prohibit the use of plastics to serve hot food after the ban has become effective in many developed countries.
The health authorities decided to activate Cabinet Decision (No 1 of 2009) on food packaging after having found that hot items cause plastics’ chemical components to leach into food whose consumption may lead to health problems.
Toxic chemicals in plastics could lead to diseases like cancer, birth defects, hormone changes, respiratory problems, gastric ulcers as well as eye and liver problems.
According to the committee, “HE the Minister of Public Health Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani has decided to activate the Cabinet resolution and to address the relevant entities in the application of the following requirements agreed upon unanimously”:
lUse paper, paper bags and containers that conform with the country standards (GSO 458/1994) for wrapping hot bread, including Arabic bread (khubbus).
lProhibit the use of cups, plates and plastic foam for serving hot food or drinks.
“Along with the ban on the use of plastics in wrapping or serving hot food or drinks, we also want to focus attention on public awareness, ensuring that people are aware of the dangers involved in such practice; it is high time people started to change their habits and make healthy choice when it comes to food,” SCH Public Health Department director Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani said during a press conference yesterday.
He said people should start insisting on having their food or drinks served in more healthy materials to avoid the risk of exposing themselves to health hazards.
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs, he said, would inspect and monitor outlets.
At the same time, the Qatar Standardisation and Laboratory Affairs (QSLA) Department will ensure that alternative products meet the required standards and the Ports Authority that only healthy ingredients for such products are imported into the country.
“We are going to monitor all outlets closely during the grace period, mainly to assist them to do away with the prohibited items and after the expiry of the deadline, anyone found wanting will be dealt with accordingly,” Dr Mohamed al-Thani stated.
The official said that while offenders would be penalised by closing down the business or serving them with court injunction, warnings would be issued before-hand.
“We are not going to punish unjustly but we will ensure that all initial problems and concerns occasioned by the decision were thoroughly addressed before we start to hand down punishments.”
The committee can be reached at[email protected].
Committee members, QSLA executive director Dr Mohamed bin Saif al-Kuwari and Health and Food Safety section manager Dr Wasan al-Baker, were present at the briefing.

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44 comments Sort by rating

By anonymous• 27 Jun 2012 13:55

Rating: 3/5

Packaging can play an important role in reducing the security risks of shipment. Packages can be made with improved tamper resistance to deter tampering and also can have tamper-evident features to help indicate tampering.-Marla Ahlgrimm

By nomerci• 9 Nov 2011 21:54

Tb, maybe they did not tell anybody about the decision...like when you read in GT that "somebody met somebody and important issues were discussed"...;)

By timebandit• 9 Nov 2011 18:41

Why am I not surprised?

By nomerci• 9 Nov 2011 18:36

No, all just as it always was.

By timebandit• 9 Nov 2011 09:02

So has anyone noticed any difference yet? The 90 day's are up, but I haven't noticed any change to date.

By veera77• 28 Jul 2011 11:43

Rating: 4/5

Rizks, SS, ghazals...

will join u all for my first 'karak chai' in qatar...

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 10:44

You are welcome SS and ghazals....

By strawberry_shisha• 28 Jul 2011 10:35

oh btw, tfs tb..well it'll be a good idea for banning the massive use of plastic here in qatar..it'll be good for mother nature.. rizks, can i sit with you and ghazalz?lol

By ghazalz• 28 Jul 2011 10:35

Not every thing, only the hot ones :)

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 10:33

Nope ghazals, its just sit together and drink tat i offer ! :)

By ghazalz• 28 Jul 2011 10:30

yeah sure Rizks...do you offer home delivery service?

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 10:29

back to the karak chai...oopss i mean the topic - so the breads,kaboos etc whcih comes in plastic packings will be banned too ?

By strawberry_shisha• 28 Jul 2011 10:27

ahhhh..so simply advertising here in ql...lol..i'm wondering if how can he manage running a stall were in fact he's online in ql 24/7...lolz..

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 10:26

lol ghazalz, wanna have one ? :)

By ghazalz• 28 Jul 2011 10:25

Rating: 4/5

strawberry_shisha,Rizks runs a Karak chai stall, as brit mentioned it repeatedly Guess why his chai is so popular here:D

By strawberry_shisha• 28 Jul 2011 10:19

ghazalz thanks alot..hmm..i'd prefer to belive u than rizks..lol...

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 10:16

SS, karak chai is a blend of Voda and raw Lemon.....lol

By ghazalz• 28 Jul 2011 10:11

Rating: 5/5

It's a cup of very strong tea, boiled with milk, sugar and loose tea altogether...

By strawberry_shisha• 28 Jul 2011 10:04

veera77, me too..im wondering what the hell is karak chai..

By veera77• 28 Jul 2011 09:59

Rating: 4/5

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1597:]]britexpat & rizks: interested to know what is 'Karak Chai'.. i'm new

edited: ok... i just got know what is karak chai... its known as 'teh tarik' in malaysia

By ltfo• 28 Jul 2011 09:17

Rating: 3/5

It would be also nice if they banned melamine plates and accessories for kitchen use.

By FathimaH• 28 Jul 2011 08:27

Rating: 2/5

A great initiative no doubt..but will wait to see it implemented successfully before I start chearing!

By strawberry_shisha• 28 Jul 2011 08:11

rizks what's the taste of that karak chai??

By Colt45• 28 Jul 2011 08:04

Rating: 4/5

They will serve tea in earthen pots :-)

By dota• 28 Jul 2011 08:02

LOL Rizks... you funny guy =)

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 08:00

Rating: 3/5

britey still no use if u take ur own cup/glass with you,coz when u give them to get Karak chai their 2 fingers will be half dipped in the chai...:(

By britexpat• 28 Jul 2011 07:58

Rating: 5/5

But glass - not washed properly can be more dangerous to the health :O(

The only feasible option is to take your own cup / glass with you.

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 07:58

Gold is costly these dayz...:(how about Bronze or Ceramic ? :)

By anonymous• 28 Jul 2011 07:57

For the poor people glass will do, too!

By anonymous• 28 Jul 2011 07:56

Rating: 4/5

Brit, I think then you might find worms in your Chai sometimes, and you need to cut trees. Gold is better!

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 07:55

or coconut shells ? :)

By britexpat• 28 Jul 2011 07:54

Rating: 5/5

Would it not be better to have wooden cups ?

Remember the Holy Grail and the term - "The meek shall inherit the earth"

By dota• 28 Jul 2011 07:52

Many trees to be cut down to produce paper.... =(

By anonymous• 28 Jul 2011 07:52

Gold cups is the solution. The Ancient Greeks and Romans already knew that. Gold does not react chemically with many things, especially acids. So, here is the ultimate choice.

By blue_rose• 28 Jul 2011 07:50

thanks for sharing

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 07:50

but most of the outlets use the paper cups for hot drinks instead of plastic cups...so what the ordinary shops who sells these plastic plates,spoons,forks etc ? The will stop selling that as well ?

By DaRuDe• 28 Jul 2011 07:45

i love you so much that when ever i think of you my head starts jumping

By timebandit• 28 Jul 2011 07:44

Rating: 2/5

I am intrigued as to what the alternatives are going to be, and how successful they will prove. This is a positive initiative, but is 90 days enough for suitable replacements to be found. It will be interesting to see how many flout the law in November.

By britexpat• 28 Jul 2011 07:36

Rating: 5/5

I've got scoldedd hhandss..

I thought I would try using cupped hands and it did not work :O(

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 07:29

Rating: 2/5

britey you dumb polar bear, the price of Karak chai will remain the same - its just the cup tat will be replaced....

By britexpat• 28 Jul 2011 07:26

Rating: 5/5

This means that the price of Karak Chai will go up :O(

By olonzo• 28 Jul 2011 07:20

Rating: 5/5

if scientifically proved to b unsafe....mafi mishkella.....eat and drink continues...

By anonymous• 28 Jul 2011 07:17

Rating: 5/5

i know some cities do not use plastic bags in shopping malls and groceries except for frozen foods... they use brown paper bags and containers, fish nets for fish and other sea/water foods... and its mandatory...

By Rizks• 28 Jul 2011 07:11

Rating: 4/5

TFS TB -as always ! ..Well, no more drinking Karak chai in plastic cups....

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Qatar bans plastic food packaging

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