Municipality asks businesses to sort waste at source effective from Oct 1

In order to prevent having to take legal action, the Ministry of Municipality has requested that all businesses meet the requirements of providing and positioning containers at their premises for the purpose of sorting solid garbage by October 1, 2022.

“Following the decision to sort solid waste, all institutions, companies and entities concerned are required to provide and place waste sorting containers,” said Director of the Legal Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality, Ahmed Youssef Al Emadi. He said that they now knew the decision wasn't implemented properly.

According to what he indicated, municipalities would begin to take legal action and impose fines on entities beginning on October 1 if such entities do not comply with this decision. In accordance with the Public Hygiene Law No. 18 of 2017, they are required to offer two trash sorting bins for use both within and outside the facilities.

Al Emadi made these remarks at an introduction meeting held by the Ministry of Municipality for officials from the ministry as well as representatives of hotels, commercial complexes, and other key private sector institutions.

The purpose of the meeting was to raise awareness of Ministerial Decision No. 170 of 2021 addressing the sorting of solid trash, as well as Ministerial Decision No. 143 of 2022 on the rules for the use of plastic bags, which will be enforced starting on November 15.

Al Emadi emphasised the significance of the private sector's role as a key partner of the Ministry of Municipality in the implementation of the two ministerial decisions regarding the rules and regulations for the use of single-use plastic bags and the sorting of solid waste. These decisions concerned the rules and regulations for the use of single-use plastic bags and the sorting of solid waste.

He said that the private sector was a significant contribution to the country's economic progress and that it need to live up to the social responsibility it has.

“The ministerial decision regarding the use of single-use plastic bags specified a certain type of recyclable bags and prohibited the use of single-use bags because of their negative impact on the environment, as the State seeks to limit the use of these bags,” said Al Emadi.

He said the Ministry of Municipality held meetings with plastic factories to set standards and technical specifications for these bags in implementation of the ministerial decision.

Al Emadi explained that municipalities will monitor the implementation of the ministerial decision regarding the use of single-use plastic bags.

“According to the Food Law, plastic bags have been placed within the health requirements of shops and commercial establishments, and these requirements will be applied to food packaging. These foods will be monitored by the Ministries of Municipality, Commerce and Industry and Public Health,” said Al Emadi. 

Eng Hamad Jassim Al Bahr, who is the Director of the Waste Recycling and Treatment Department, said that several meetings were held with companies and factories that make plastic bags to explain the decision, its goals, and the good results that are expected from its implementation.

He said that the move would help the country reach its goals for sustainable development and improve how it deals with waste. This will cut down on the amount of plastic trash and make sure that resources can be used for a long time.

Al Bahr says that a number of companies have changed their production lines to meet the technical standards set by the ministerial decision. This will help cut down on the number of plastic bags that are made.

“As for the executive procedures of the ministerial decision, it stipulates that the plastic bags are printed according to each category, a symbol indicating that they are biodegradable, reusable or recyclable,” said Al Bahr.

Director of Al Rayan Municipality, Jaber Hassan Al Jaber, said the municipalities, as an executive sector, will monitor the compliance of institutions, companies and shops with the two ministerial decisions.