As Kuwait's waste crisis worsens, environmental activists are urging immediate intervention to address the escalating environmental challenge. The country’s per capita production of organic waste has reached a staggering 1.4 kilograms per day, placing it among the highest globally, surpassing many countries in the Middle East and Europe.

Experts have long considered waste a major issue in Kuwait, affecting solid, liquid, and gaseous forms. The lack of effective management presents serious environmental and health risks, alongside economic consequences. Environmental advocates stress the necessity for sustainable and radical waste management policies.

Jenan Behzad, Secretary-General of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, stated that the problem is worsened by high consumption rates and poor recycling practices. She recommends converting waste into electrical energy and developing policies that encourage recycling and waste sorting at the source.

Solid Waste and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Behzad revealed that solid waste contributes 2.4% of Kuwait’s greenhouse gas emissions. She emphasized the use of separate bins for plastics, paper, metals, and food waste at homes and businesses to enhance recycling efficiency.

According to a study by the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, food waste significantly increases during Ramadan and festive seasons. Across the Gulf, food waste accounts for nearly 50% of total waste. Activists urge for turning food waste into biofuel and methane to power industries, following models in Sweden and Germany.

Kuwait relies on three major landfills: Jahra, the Seventh Southern Ring Road, and Mina Abdullah. Yet, high plastic consumption, especially from restaurants and cooperatives, contributes to 80% of floating marine debris, harming marine ecosystems.

Although Kuwait’s Environmental Protection Law imposes fines up to 500 dinars for illegal dumping, studies show 58% of residents are unaware of these regulations. Behzad recommends stricter enforcement and mandatory waste sorting laws for institutions and households.

Engineer Alaa Hassan, CEO of IPSCO, called waste a “time bomb,” citing the accumulation of 8 to 10 million discarded tires annually. She emphasized recycling tires into industrial raw materials and involving the private sector in waste solutions to benefit Kuwait’s economy.

Environmental activist Barak Ramadan Al-Hindal stressed the need for a cultural transformation, advocating for waste sorting across homes, schools, offices, and hospitals. He highlighted the economic and job creation potential of recycling industries, encouraging the replication of successful global practices in Kuwait.

With mounting waste, increasing greenhouse emissions, and environmental degradation, activists insist that Kuwait must act now. Recycling, environmental education, private sector partnerships, and legislative enforcement can pave the way for a sustainable and eco-friendly future.