The implementation of the National Waste Management Strategy in Bahrain will contribute towards addressing the kingdom's waste problem in the long run, said Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister, Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf.
 
Khalaf asserted that the Works Ministry has made major strides in implementing the practical initiatives of the strategy, said a Bahrain News Agency report.
 
The initiatives have contributed to the treatment of 50 per cent of the amount of waste dumped in the Askar landfill, estimated at 1.7 million tons every year, he said.
 
He pointed out that the strategy aims to achieve the kingdom's commitments in the field of ‘integrated management’ of waste management operations in accordance with the best international health, environmental and technical practices, which include collection, sorting, management, awareness-raising and other initiatives.
 
He explained the ministry is implementing the strategy through three main initiatives:
 
* The first is the recycling of demolition and construction waste, which accounts for 38 per cent of the total waste received by the landfill (646,000 tons per year). A tender has been launched and awarded to a local company to implement the initiative. The initiative has contributed to providing recycled materials that can be used in building roads. The ministry has already constructed the first street using recycled materials.
 
* The second initiative, which is the re-use of green waste constituting 7% of the total waste or about 300 tons per day. The Works Ministry will implement this project on a piece of land in Hoorat A'ali. The project aims to convert waste to agricultural fertiliser and will be awarded to the private sector, he said.
 
* The third initiative, he said is based on reycling household waste, noting that ministry is in the process of appointing a consultant to prepare for launching a tender for converting domestic waste into energy.
 
The ministry is also preparing to launch a tender for recyclying tyres, he said.
 
The Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning signed earlier this year an agreement with the Spanish company Urbaser for the development of the Askar landfill for three years.

 

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