The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) is set to roll out a waste free environment campaign in February next year.

The third Waste Free Environment (WFE) campaign will run from February 22 to 26, said a statement.

It is aimed at educating the public about responsible waste disposal and will address challenges associated with plastic litter, it said.

Launched by the GPCA last year, participants in the WFE will include volunteers from across the Arabian Gulf. Next year, however, the association will no longer be limiting the campaign to the region and will open up the initiative to other organisations across the world, through the affiliate offices and subsidiaries of GPCA member companies.  

Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA, said: “A sustainable future can only be realised if people come together to find solutions to persistent environmental problems today.

“Partnerships like the WFE—which involve government stakeholders, businesses, educational institutions and the wider community—will be crucial in realising this future.”

The WFE2014 signalled a growth in both plastics waste collection and participation. With more than 5,500 participants, more than double the number last year, joined forces in nine cities across the GCC region to clean up coastlines and desert areas of their cities.

The volunteers included students from 71 schools and universities in the GCC.  In total, more than 11.7 tonnes of waste was collected in a single day.

Additionally, over 500 tonnes of waste was collected over a week in three locations in Oman, while the initiative’s UAE programme recycled over 2.5 tonnes of waste.

“Education has been a key component in the success of this campaign,” said Dr Sadoun.

The initiative highlighted the fact that plastic litter in the Gulf’s marine and desert environments is largely due to irresponsible disposal of plastics waste combined with poor waste management, a lack of regulatory framework and insufficient recycling infrastructure.

“The Waste Free Environment programme seeks to not only clean up public spaces, but also to educate people about proper waste disposal and recycling,” he said.

“Rather than demonise plastic products, which are essential aspects to modern life, we should focus our efforts in reducing our consumption, reusing what we can and recycle whenever possible,” he added. - TradeArabia News Service