Dubai Duty Free introduce oxo-biodegradable bags in line with corporate responsibility

In October 2008, the establishment of a dedicated Corporate Responsibility Department signaled the operation's commitment to pursuing its long term CR goals.

Headed by Anne Smith, who has worked with Dubai Duty Free since1993 and has managed environmental issues within the company since 1999, the CR Department's responsibilities encompass: Health and Safety (including Staff Welfare), Environment, ethical operational practices and the Dubai Duty Free Charity Foundation

Commenting on the decision to set up a dedicated CR Department last year, Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said: "We have long believed in the importance of having systems and policies in place that benefit our staff, our customers and the community at large and the establishment of a dedicated CR Department has formalized that.

"Anne has had a great deal of experience within the company and particularly in the environmental issues, and in the past year has been able to drive through a number of projects that otherwise would not have happened."

Chief amongst these recent initiatives has been the introduction by Dubai Duty Free of biodegradable bags, which were implemented in all sizes to the retail operation in September this year. The bags are oxo-biodegradable and once exposed to sunlight, have a three month shelf life before starting to degrade. By comparison, regular plastic bags may take 1,000 years to disintegrate.

Commenting on the move to biodegradable bags, Anne Smith explains:

"The issue of plastic bags is a difficult one to tackle as other options, such as paper bags, are not suited to an airport environment. The reality is that we have to provide our customers with a carrier bag capable of getting their purchases, sometimes very heavy ones, to wherever they are going, which may be thousands of miles away."

The issue has been researched in great depth by Dubai Duty Free in recent years. Meanwhile the operation took steps to reduce the percentage rate of bag consumption, which was done primarily by reducing the number of microns in the bags used to carry lighter items and by using bottle sleeves to negate the necessity of double-wrapping bottled items.

The successful launch of the oxo-biodegradable bags in September has been very well received by both Dubai Duty Free and their customers.

"I think we were right to take our time on this issue and to find a good solution and we now have bags that are environmentally friendly and at the same time, user friendly for passengers," says Anne Smith.

While Dubai Duty Free CR Department has found a solution to its plastic bags issue, the company continues to recycle paper and cardboard waste and in 2008, sent 1,250 tonnes to the salvors for recycling.