(Courtesy of Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs)
Improved waste disposal methods would offer manufacturing material and provide unemployed youth with job opportunities, said Laila Iskandar, the newly appointed Minister of State for Environmental Affairs.
Iskandar’s proposed initiative would see the separation of solid waste into categories to aid in its disposal.
Samah Abdo, head of media affairs with the ministry, said in developed countries waste is generally divided into three categories; glass, plastic and organic waste.
“If we can get the housewives to dispose of their waste within those three categories, we can recycle waste much more effectively,” Abdo said. “Organic waste for instance could be recycled to produce the best quality organic fertilisers and also energy resources.”
Iskandar stressed the importance of raising citizens’ awareness regarding separating their waste. The ministry is currently organising an awareness campaign with different authorities including civil society organisations, media outlets, houses of worship and schools.
“Waste is a national wealth,” Abdo said. “Some countries light up by properly recycling their waste into energy.”
The initiative also involves closing down exposed garbage dumpsters which exist within residential areas. This would necessitate developing public dumpsters into safe, healthy landfills.
Iskandar said the success of her initiative would see the employment of youth. She said, in a ministry press release, that each ton of garbage collected offers seven “green” job opportunities.
Coming from a background with extensive experience in garbage collection, Iskandar’s heading of the Ministry of Environment seems promising in the area of efficiently disposing of waste.
