Bahrain, one of the leading per capita garbage generators in the world

The quantity of waste produced in the Kingdom is increasing dayby-day with 899,000 tonnes of trash collected in the first five months of 2018, according to the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning. The ministry said that Bahrain now produces 2.2 million tonnes of waste a year, which means every resident/ citizen generates two tonnes of waste annually. Bahrain could be a contender for the top position when it comes to per capita waste generation, the ministry warned. According to official statistics, Saudi Arabia with a population of 32 million people only generated 12 million tonnes of waste in the year 2016.

An individual generates 1.294 tonnes of wastes a year in the Kingdom, while in Saudi Arabia it is only 370 kilograms. Speaking to Tribune, Works Ministry official Dr Nabil Abu Al Fatih said the ministry has developed an integrated strategy for waste management. “An integrated strategy has been put in place to reduce the generation of waste, especially in light of the increase in the population.” He added: “We are planning to devise policies to reduce waste production and have started working with Centre for Waste Management to deal with various types of wastes.” “Reducing the amount of waste generated is not only the responsibility of the ministry, every individual living in the Kingdom should burden it.”