One Small Change, One Big Impact

Q: What is the ultimate goal for Dubai Can?

The goal of Dubai Can is to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic. The reason behind that goal? We need to act now to help our planet. Across the globe we have created more plastic waste in 10 years than during the previous century combined – and 40% of all plastic waste in the UAE is single-use (Environment Agency).

Q: How long do single-use plastics take to decompose?

The lifespan of plastic is hugely variable. Plastic bags and disposable coffee cups can last 20-30 years but some products can take far longer to decompose. Plastic straws may take around 200 years to decompose, and water bottles, coffee pods and toothbrushes could take 450-500 years (wwf.org.au).

Q: Will it really make an impact if I start using re-useable bottles?

Yes, we can absolutely make a difference! But we all need to make a change together. We can create a cultural shift in Dubai – of refilling water, recycling and forming sustainable habits – ensuring a cleaner and healthier city for generations to come. Our refill stations will play a huge role in that, providing chilled, filtered water at convenient points around the city.

Q: Where can I find water refill stations in Dubai?

You can already find drinking water fountains in some parts of the city, including Kite Beach , Dubai World Trade Centre , Zabeel Park and Madinat Jumeirah . Dubai Can will increase access to clean water by launching up to 50 new refill stations across the emirate. Residents and tourists will have access to crisp, clean, refreshing water in key areas around Dubai.

Q: What kind of water do the Dubai Can refill stations provide?

The water you will get from a Dubai Can refill station is very similar to what you would get from a typical bottle of local, branded water – which is also similar to filtered tap water. The process of desalination removes unhealthy impurities from water at its source, with another layer of filtration at the refill station.

Q: Where does the tap water come from in Dubai?

The vast majority of tap water and drinking water in Dubai is desalinated seawater from the Arabian Gulf. The rest of our water supply comes largely from underground sources or groundwater.

Q: Can I drink the tap (faucet) water in Dubai?

Tap water in the UAE is safe to drink, according to the Conformity Affairs Department at the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology. The water goes through the process of desalination (removing any impurities) before it reaches your taps. Installing your own additional filter at home ensures the water is not affected by aging pipes or tanks.

Q: Will there be any Dubai Can events? How can I get involved?

Dubai Can is likely to host special events and activations once more refill stations are installed across the city. The best way to get involved is to register your business and install water filters. Contact us to find out more – and don't forget to refill!

Choose refillable bottles and reduce single-use plastic consumption. Together we can make a difference.

Join
the movement

Dubai Can is a sustainability initiative by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

The initiative aims to reduce single-use plastic water bottle waste in the city by:

Encouraging individuals to use refillable water bottles
Enabling access to free and safe drinking water through the installation and use of water stations across Dubai
Creating a culture of conscious living by driving awareness on plastic alternatives and sustainability issues

In the past 10 years, we've created more plastic waste than during the previous century combined. Consider these facts:

It can take around half a millennium (500 years) for some plastics to decompose (WWF)
Approximately 100,000 marine mammals are killed by ocean plastic every year (WWF)
The average UAE resident can use around 450 plastic water bottles every year (Bee'ah)
By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans (Ellen MacArthur Foundation/World Economic Forum)

We need to act now to help our planet. Dubai Can is a timely initiative that will:

Bolster a citywide and global movement towards positive change
Protect the environment by reducing waste and saving wildlife
Reduce your cost of living and activate awareness

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Everyone can and should make a difference. Your actions are an important contribution.

Here are some ways to help and be a part of the Dubai Can initiative:

- Carry refillable water containers and persuade family and friends to do the same
- Inform others about the free drinking water stations around the city and encourage their use
- Install water filters in your home
- Practise sustainable living and inspire the community with your actions and choices

Did you know?

Since 15 February 2022, the initiative has cut the consumption of almost 18 million 500ml single-use plastic water bottles

Watch now: the community has its say

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Where can you refill?

Dubai Can refill stations across the city

Dubai Can - fountain locations
Get your own copy of the map to access free drinking water around Dubai

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Making a difference

Holiday Inn Dubai Business Bay triumphs with green water transformation
Since installing UV-powered water filtration systems in November 2023, Holiday Inn Dubai Business Bay has made strides in its campaign against single-use plastic water bottles. Efficient and enabled with a high annual production capacity, the filtration system is set to reduce one million litres in plastic consumption before 2024 draws to a close. The hotel also embraces a circular economy by using recycled and refilled bottles, reducing the carbon footprint associated with single-use plastic.
NH Dubai The Palm swaps single-use plastics for in-house bottling station
Having set up a bottling station in early 2023, beach hotel NH Dubai The Palm has cut back on 500+ single-use plastic water bottles (measured in capacities of 500ml) in under a year. The new station uses water softeners alongside activated carbon and UV filters to provide fresh drinking water in glass containers for the hotel’s guests and staff. As part of the transition to sustainable alternatives, NH also provides plastic recycling bins and educational material on the impact of single-use water bottles at its premises.
Dusit Thani Dubai saves close to a million plastic bottles
The water bottling initiative launched by Dusit Thani Dubai in 2022 has curbed the use of nearly one million 500ml single-use plastic bottles within a year. The luxury hotel’s state-of-the-art system has successfully produced one-litre bottle alternatives for use at its premises, aligning with the brand’s global sustainability programme and Dubai’s vision for an eco-friendly city.
Four Points by Sheraton SZR helps community with water fountain for all
Following a move to remove plastic bottles from the hotel’s dining venues, Four Points by Sheraton SZR furthered its sustainability and CSR goals by installing a water fountain outside its premises that was accessible all – whether guests or passersby. By early 2023, this decision has allowed the hotel to save approximately 28,638 units of 500ml plastic bottles.
Media One Hotel saves over 270kgs of plastic with sustainable swaps
Since making the call to go plastic free in 2022, Media One Hotel has added to its sustainability journey in a significant way. With The Green Leaf room campaign, in-house guests can now opt out of laundry services, which reduces related water and electricity consumption. Next, a partnership with GROHE, has enabled the hotel to achieve water sustainability. Through the installation of the GROHE Blu water filters, Media One replaced all plastic water bottles with glass and biodegradable alternatives across its rooms, meeting spaces and dining outlets. Since the start of the initiative, the hotel has saved approximately AED10,000 in monthly costs, which translates to over 270kgs worth of plastic cuts in total.
Shell swaps plastic water bottles for high-end filter stations
As part of its sustainability commitment, the Shell Markets (Middle East) Limited office in Dubai recently went from using approximately 5,000 plastic water bottles per year to none! The move slashed costs by almost 90% following the installation of innovative water filter stations. The company ensures its staff has safe drinking water by conducting quality tests every quarter.
Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) gets innovative with air-to-water dispensers at key sites
As part of its Net Positive commitment in carbon and water by 2040, holding company MAF has fitted 12 air-to-water dispensers across the Mall of the Emirates, Al Ghubaiba and Deira City Centre metro stations, following successful pilot programmes. MAF's Crate and Barrel outlets and concept store THAT has followed suit, helping customers stay refreshed with similar fixtures on location.
Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Science Park cuts daily use of 1,500 plastic bottles
Thanks to its in-house glass water bottling facility, Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Science Park has been able to successfully boost its green initiatives and participation in Dubai Can. With a 3,400-litre capacity, the plant generates up to 80 litres per hour of distilled water. Alongside other ongoing sustainability measures, this self-sufficient water production technique has saved the hotel from consuming approximately 1,500 plastic bottles per day.
talabat cuts use of over 50,000 plastic bottles in under a year
UAE-based online food delivery and q-commerce platform talabat began using contactless water dispensers at its Dubai headquarters in 2020. The foot-pedal operated solution by No More Bottles now provides over 700 employees with an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic bottles. In 2021, the same solution was adopted across talabat’s cloud kitchens, saving 6,000 additional plastic bottles per year on average.
Anantara The Palm leads by example with push for zero plastic
Say hello to metal stirrers and keyless access. Many of Dubai's five-star hotels are striving to reach sustainability goals with a number of eco-friendly initiatives in place. Anantara The Palm Dubai has made huge strides with the reduction of plastic straws by almost 60% and key cards by 200% since 2018.
JA Resorts & Hotels switches to eco-conscious drinking water alternatives
As part of its commitment to sustainability, JA Resorts & Hotels in Dubai began tracking single-use plastic bottles across its seven properties in 2019. The hotel chain has since replaced 1.7 million water bottles with glass containers, and installed 40 digital dispensers that serve customers safe, fresh filtered water.
Sofitel The Obelisk saves over 2,000kg of PET plastics annually
Having researched various drinking water purification solutions, Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk adopted the ECOSENSE system. As part of the switch, five-gallon plastic bottles were replaced by bottle-free dispensers, while a central purification system will soon be in place to generate water for the hotel's F&B outlets. Glass bottles are already in use, serving tap water purified through a patented filter system.
Uptown School's drive drops carbon footprint by 72%
Recipient of the Green School Award in 2020, Uptown International School (UIS) introduced a successful Reduced Plastic School initiative. As part of the programme, the school gave students and staff reusable metal water bottles and installed 14 pedal-operated, bottle-free water dispensers at its premises, each connected to a central supply of UV-treated water.
Spinneys’ new store keeps customers satisfied with water refill stations
Spinneys’ new Layan Community branch has a hands-on approach to ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’. The water filter stations dotting the space are only one of many superb sustainability-centric features at the supermarket. Busy shoppers can stop by to top up their bottles for free or choose customisable options such as chilled, sparkling or botanicals-infused water, for a small fee.
Avani+ Palm View Dubai commits to reduce plastic waste by approximately 2,500kg annually
In a bid to make its property more eco-conscious and sustainable, Avani+ Palm View Dubai has prohibited the use of plastic bottles at its restaurants and rooms. The hotel has installed various energy-saving methods as well as a German technology that purifies water by removing bacteria, viruses, heavy metals and chlorine from it. The clean and healthy water is then dispensed through glass bottles. These thoughtful measures are expected to reduce the usage of approximately 250,000 plastic bottles every year.

What's new?Find out about the latest developments

Dubai Can, the citywide sustainability initiative, has seen a reduction in the usage of an equivalent of almost 18 million 500ml single-use plastic water bottles in just two years since its launch. With the support of its partners and sponsors, Dubai Can has placed 50 public water stations in strategic locations across the city, including parks and popular tourist destinations, which have dispensed almost 9 million litres of water.
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Dubai Can, the citywide sustainability movement launched on 15 February 2022, has successfully reduced the use of an equivalent of more than 18 million 500 ml single-use plastic water bottles in two years. The exceptional success of the initiative is reflected in the fact that Dubai Can has been widely adopted in the city, with participation from homes, offices, hotels, schools, and the installation of 50 water fountains in different locations, with 30 new water stations to be added by the end of 2024.
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Dubai Can initiative cuts single-use plastic bottle usage by 3.5 million as the sustainability movement celebrates six-month milestone. The movement has achieved this extraordinary success as measured by water consumed from Dubai Can water fountains installed throughout the city. During the last six months, 46 fountains have been installed in various locations across the city, including public parks, beaches and tourist attractions, with the help of the initiative’s stakeholders, sponsors and partners. The fountains are now in various Dubai neighbourhoods, including Kite Beach, Dubai Marina, JLT and others.
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