The local council of Ras al-Ain city issued a decision banning the use of black plastic bags for packaging sold goods or dealing with them by the city’s residents and its affiliated areas.

According to circular No. 89, issued by the council on Wednesday, May 22, the decision aligns with the requirements of security and safety and to preserve the health and safety of the residents during the current phase and to avoid any potential disruptions in the region.

The council pointed out that the implementation of the circular will start on June 10, 2024.

The head of the local council in Ras al-Ain, Mohammad Ali Hamza, explained to Enab Baladi that the decision to ban the use of black plastic bags comes due to several reasons, the most prominent being the health damages caused by carcinogenic substances present in them, which react with food materials inside the bags.

The council official highlighted that the decision would completely ban the sale of these bags in shops and markets, with efforts to confiscate them if found, in addition to replacing them with non-harmful paper and transparent white bags that allow easy visibility of their contents.

He also emphasized the importance of residents’ cooperation to implement this decision to prevent the sale of such bags, which cause numerous diseases, in addition to protecting the population from security risks, including bombings and terrorist acts.

Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad are located adjacent to the Turkish border, controlled by the Syrian National Army (SNA), and are surrounded by battlefronts with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Turkish border is their only gateway to the outside world.

The city has enjoyed a relatively stable situation for years after several security incidents years ago that resulted in casualties and injuries.

Ras al-Ain has a population of 115,000, according to a previous statistic obtained by Enab Baladi from the local council.

Agriculture, along with livestock breeding, is among the main professions for most of the residents of the Ras al-Ain region and the northern and northeastern regions of Syria, serving as a primary source of income in these areas.

The residents of Ras al-Ain are seeking job opportunities to provide them with a stable source of income, alongside their reliance on agriculture.

Daily wages in Ras al-Ain range between 30,000 and 40,000 Syrian pounds (approximately two and a half US dollars) and vary depending on the number of working hours and the type of job, whether it is agricultural or in the construction field.