File photo used for representation only.
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) has urged citizens and residents to join in its campaign to limit the use of plastic in Qatar.
In a tweet on its official handle, the MME stated, “On International Plastic Bag Free Day (3 July), the Ministry of Municipality and Environment wants to hear your ideas and suggestions to limit the use of plastic in Qatar, using the hashtag: #FutureWithoutPlastic.”
The initiative by the MME, in a bid to drive public participation, also allows participants to win prizes if they answer questions about the environment correctly.
However, according to EcoMena (a sustainability advocate in the region), Qatar produces more than 2.5 million tons of municipal solid waste each year. It has one of the highest per capita waste generation rates worldwide, of up to 1.8 kg per day, where only 8 percent of that waste is recycled. Globally, only 9% of all plastic produced by humanity has been recycled, and only 14% of plastic waste is currently being collected for recycling, according to a 2019 United Nations Environment Programme report.
The pandemic has undoubtedly contributed to the growing increase in plastic waste, highlighted by the rise in the use of masks, gloves, and most notably disposable plastic cutleries.
Despite their benefits in the lockdown and aiding the health sector, the accumulation of plastic waste on the roads and beaches around Qatar continues to pose threats to public health and the environment.
To combat waste management in general and ensure Qatar’s commitment to its National Vision 2030 plan and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, the government has this year hosted two major conferences to highlight sustainability and recycling issues and ways to combat them.
During the just-concluded waste management conference, the Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie said, “Qatar has adopted a comprehensive plan to manage and recycle waste by establishing a waste management and treatment centre in Mesaieed, which is one of the largest centre in the region.”
He noted that Qatar pays optimum attention to waste management and recycling to preserve the environment’s integrity and achieve sustainable development.
Other local organizations like Qatar Foundation, schools, NGOs, and private individuals also carry out several programmes to engage the public and authorities in tackling plastic waste and adopting more sustainable alternatives.
