Director of Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP), Jose Saucedo, and others during a clean-up exercise.
The dramatic rise in global plastic waste production in recent years has undoubtedly caused many adverse effects on the environment and human health globally and regionally.
Today, about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced annually, according to data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). If the historical growth trends continue, global production of primary plastic is forecasted to reach 1,100 million tonnes by 2050, UNEP also stressed.
Single-use plastic products have also surged in use, with approximately 36% of all plastics produced used in packaging, including single-use plastic products for food and beverage containers. UNEP stated that around 85% end up in landfills or as unregulated waste.
“It is important to raise awareness about plastic pollution because it is a major global issue and it contributes to the global climate crisis that we have,” Director of Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP), Jose Saucedo, told The Peninsula in an interview.
Saucedo runs an organisation that focuses on raising public awareness of the environmental damage caused by plastic pollution and littering and restoring Qatar’s natural beauty. The US native who has been in Qatar for nearly a decade engages in community clean-up initiatives with volunteers and visits schools to teach kids about plastic pollution and its environmental impact.
“The UN and scientists expect that unless we take action by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. That’s in our lifetime. When I talk to kids in schools, I cannot even picture that we will one day swim with trash, not with fish, or to fish for trash, not for fish.
“So, it’s essential because if we don’t act, who will take action? This is not about what another person is doing; it’s about asking yourself, what am I doing? What are you doing to help make a difference? So, the clean-ups, it’s a fantastic tool that enables us to bring people to nature, which is a big win on its own,” he added.
Plastic pollution threatens ocean health, the health of marine species, food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change.
Most marine species ingest, suffocate and are entangled by plastic debris in the water. Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fish and turtles mistake plastic waste for prey; most then die of starvation as their stomachs become filled with plastic. Experts say floating plastics also help transport invasive marine species, threatening biodiversity and the food chain.
For a coastal nation like Qatar, the government has implemented several initiatives and regulations to control plastic pollution in the ocean and in everyday life.
Last year, the Ministry of Municipality banned single-use plastic bags in Qatar. To ensure the implementation of this law, the Ministry engages in several inspection campaigns. Earlier this month, coordinating with other agencies, the Ministry distributed over 20,000 eco-friendly, biodegradable and multi-use bags under the month-long campaign ‘No for Plastic’ to educate companies and people about the ministerial decision No. 143 2022 regulating the use of plastic bags.
Last year, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) teamed up with industry experts to launch a coalition committed to promoting recycling, renewable materials and diverting waste from landfill.
“If everyone does their part, I believe we can turn things around,” Saucedo said. “As our slogan says, keep Qatar clean and beautiful for generations. So how do we fix the problem? It’s one person at a time, one bottle at a time. Not littering and using the stuff for longer, and I think anything bought and thrown is just not good for society,” he added.
