By Latifa Almazrouei
UNIVERSITY CITY, SHARJAH – The American University of Sharjah’s Sustainability Team is re-launching its effort to ban petroleum-based single-use plastic (SUP) items from campus, and since Oct. 1 has begun offering environmentally friendly plant-based alternatives.
In an Oct. 3 email, the Sustainability Office described the effort as a “challenge,” noting that the campus is working to eliminate SUP products in a “phased approach.”
Part of the first phase, according to the email, involves targeting water bottles of less than 500 ml. Those containers will be targeted in the second phase, expected to occur in 2023, the Sustainability Office added.
With the help of student representatives, or EcoReps, AUS Sustainability reported that it is also running an awareness campaign in the Student Center to ensure that students and faculty members understand the restriction and why is it being enacted.
AUS’ initial efforts to ban SUPs from campus began in early 2020 but were suspended as the campus closed due to the COVID pandemic, the email noted.
