DHL switches to eco-friendly courier bags across MENA operations

Posted: 15 April 2008
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Express delivery company DHL Express will replace its regular plastic bags with new environmentally-friendly bags that are not only stronger but are also fully reusable and recyclable and can degrade in as little as two years.

The switch to biodegradable bags is part of DHL’s worldwide initiative to reduce its environmental footprint across the 220 countries in which it operates. The move comes at a time when the most recent industry research indicates that the Middle East region and the UAE in particular, has an urgent need to focus on environmental sustainability.

The new bags decompose into natural elements: water, carbon dioxide and biomass. Conventional plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to degrade, increasing landfill volume and contributing to the hazardous build-up of methane in landfill sites.

“We are constantly seeking new ways to support sustainable development, over and above existing international conservation standards and guidelines,” said Janet Jweihan, DHL Express Country Manager, for the UAE. “One result of the UAE’s rapid growth is a per-capita waste generation of around 725 kg, double that of the UK ," added Jweihan.

DHL Express operations throughout the Middle East and North Africa are scheduled to replace all plastic bags with the new oxi-biodegradable bags in the coming months.