Minister of Transport H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti (1st left), Minister of Municipality H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie (2nd right), Minister of Justice H E Masoud bin Mohammed Al Amri (3rd right), and Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council H E Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti (2nd left) touring the 3rd Recycling Towards Sustainability Conference & Exhibition in Doha yesterday. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
Doha: The Ministry of Municipality plans to build an engineered landfill with the highest international standards and specifications and operate a plant for the segregation of recyclable materials in Al Khor to bring about the best solution for waste recycling and management.
“This is part of the efforts of the Ministry to promote sustainability and optimal use of resources with its future projects following Qatar National Vision 2030,” said Minister of Municipality H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie.
The Minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Recycling Towards Sustainability Conference and Exhibition 2023 which began yesterday in the Sheraton Doha Hotel.
The two-day event is being organised by the Ministry of Municipality under the slogan “Together We Make the Difference for a Sustainable Future” for exchanging expertise and experiences about the latest methods and technologies in the field of waste recycling and treatment.
Over 35 waste recycling and management experts will be speaking in several sessions at the conference. An associated exhibition is hosting 40 pavilions showcasing the latest technologies, products, and services in the field of waste management and recycling.
The Minister said that the Ministry of Municipality has developed many plans, laws, and integrated goals for the safe disposal of waste of all kinds in all locations utilizing the latest methods.
The Domestic and Solid Waste Treatment Center in Mesaieed produced over 271 million kilowatts per hour of electricity and 35,000 tonnes fertilizers in 2022. Over 27,000 tonnes of recyclable materials were also segregated last year,” said the Minister.
He said that as a culmination of its pioneering role in the treatment and recycling of waste, the Center won GCC Award in the field of municipal work at its fourth session, in the category of Best Practices in Waste Management and Recycling.
The Minister said that the Ministry recently disposed of all tire stocks accumulated in the country for many years, after developing a well-studied plan for the safe disposal of discarded tires and finding successful solutions in recycling them at sites.
“About 180,000 tonnes of tyres were disposed of in cooperation with local private companies and tyre recycling factories in Al Afjah for recycling industries. The lands were allocated by the state for these industries under sustainable development goals,” said the Minister.
He said that the Ministry is also working to encourage various segments of society to reduce waste and raise awareness among them through the “Zero Waste” campaign for developing recycling practices in the country.
The Minister said that all waste generated from the activities of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was 100 percent segregated and recycled,
the first in the history of FIFA
World Cup.
“Ministry attaches great importance to tree plantation projects and increasing green spaces, as at the end of 2022, the ‘Plant Million Tree’ initiative was completed. The Ministry is also implementing another initiative to plant ten million trees until 2030, as part of the continuous efforts of Qatar to achieve sustainable development and preserve the environment,” said the Minister.
Eng. Ahmed Mohamed Al Sada, Assistant Undersecretary for General Services Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality, said that the conference aims to promote sound waste management practices, promote a culture of waste reduction, present the latest technologies in this field, as well as shed light on the importance of academic research in developing recycling and waste treatment practices.
He said that the conference brings together a group of senior officials in Qatar and various countries of the world, as well as officials from various companies and institutions, experts, and specialists in the field of waste management and recycling.
Hamad Jassim Al Bahr, Director of the Waste Recycling and Treatment Department, said that the conference will focus on the importance of environmentally friendly practices and the latest methods adopted for waste management.
He said that the event will also serve as a platform for cooperation between individuals, societies, and governments in order to preserve a healthier and more sustainable planet, by adopting environmentally friendly practices based on waste management.
Dr. Fayeqa Abdullah Ashkanani Director of the Public Relations Department, said that the Department is raising awareness among institutions and members of society about the importance of reducing waste and segregation at source practice.
