QNA
Doha
In the midst of increasing attention to sustainability due to its importance in balancing economic growth and environmental conservation, Qatar has intensified its efforts in waste recycling. This reflects the country’s commitment to environmental sustainability, which has been placed on its priority list and integrated into its Vision 2030 and development strategies.
This comes as Qatar prepares to host Expo 2023 Doha from October 2, 2023, to March 28, 2024. This is the first A1 event of its kind to take place in Qatar, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The expo aims to raise global awareness to promote long-term environmental conservation, changes in attitudes and behaviour towards the environment, and aligning with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, where environmental management and sustainable development are the top priorities. Qatar’s emphasis on promoting a culture of sustainability and environmental preservation is evident through its rigorous efforts in waste management and recycling. Experts note the importance of recycling in reducing natural resource consumption, carbon emissions, and biodiversity preservation. This contributes to mitigating negative climate impacts and achieving a balance between human needs and environmental preservation for future generations.
In an interview with QNA, the Director of the Waste Recycling and Treatment Department at the Ministry of Municipality, Eng. Hamad Jassim Al Bahr said, "One of the most important ways to protect the environment is through recycling and sustainability.”
He noted that the Ministry of Municipality has made significant progress in waste recycling and utilisation.
Al Bahr further explained that the Waste Recycling and Treatment Department oversees a solid waste treatment plant, associated transfer stations, and sanitary landfills, ensuring that waste is processed according to international standards and specifications. They have implemented necessary administrative plans to ensure public health and safety in the process.
He stressed that recycling is a vital issue, and Qatar has facilitated it through various solutions and technologies that contribute to environmental preservation, pollution reduction, resource and energy conservation, consumption reduction, and improved production process efficiency.
Regarding Qatar’s success in recycling all waste generated during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, achieving a 100 percent recycling rate was a significant milestone, marking the first time this rate was achieved in the history of previous World Cup events.
In showcasing Qatar’s environmental sustainability efforts, Al Bahr highlighted the importance of the Mesaieed waste management facility, which commenced operations in 2011. This center is one of the largest specialized waste management facilities in the Middle East, covering an area of 3 square kilometers with a daily capacity of 2,300 tons.
He outlined the five stages of waste treatment at the center, starting with separation, recycling, incineration for energy production, and recycling to obtain high-quality organic fertilizer. The center has successfully transformed waste into energy, producing approximately 269,000 megawatts of electrical energy in 2020, some of which is used for its own operations, and the rest is supplied to the government grid.
In line with Qatar’s commitment to the highest environmental sustainability standards, they continuously monitor climate-related project activities. According to data from the Planning and Statistics Authority, the total number of new projects subject to environmental impact assessment increased from 2,428 projects in 2021 to 2,676 projects in 2022, reflecting a growing environmental focus alongside developmental progress.
These projects subjected to assessment in the past year included 572 large projects, 1,433 small and medium-sized projects, and 671 industrial projects.
Data from the Planning and Statistics Authority indicate that 99.8% of treated wastewater in 2022 met environmental standards.
Treated wastewater was utilised for agricultural irrigation, with a total of 76.13 million cubic meters used annually. Additionally, 113.34 million cubic meters of treated wastewater were used for landscaping irrigation, while around 50.60 million cubic meters were injected into underground reservoirs annually.
Collecting and treating wastewater and having the necessary infrastructure for its treatment have environmental benefits, including reducing pollutants’ transfer to groundwater, preserving biodiversity affected by wastewater pollutants, reducing nutrient runoff into coastal waters, and consequently lowering coastal water pollution.
Treated sewage water serves as an alternative water source, reducing pressure on water resources and enhancing their sustainability, particularly in countries facing water scarcity. This enables the reuse of high-quality water in agriculture, landscaping, or other applications.
Environmental statistics in Qatar indicate that the number of sewage treatment plants reached 27, with an annual growth rate of 3 percent from 2014 to 2020. These plants had a design capacity of 1022 cubic meters per day in 2020. Compared to previous years, the annual growth rate of the processing capacity of sewage treatment plants increased by 6 percent from 2014 to 2020. These plants received a total of 291 million cubic meters of sewage water per year, of which 285 million cubic meters were treated, constituting 98 percent of total sewage water in 2020.
In the same context, Ahmed Jasim Al Jolo, an environmental and sustainability expert, affirmed that Qatar has prioritized environmental and sustainability issues, incorporating them into Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and its development strategies. He noted that waste management receives special attention due to the government’s commitment to reducing the impact of waste on health and the country’s aesthetics, while promoting waste reduction practices. This is especially important given Qatar’s economic growth across various sectors such as construction, industry, commerce, and agriculture.
Al Jolo, the environmental and sustainability expert, said in an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) that sustainability means preserving resource usage in a manner that ensures their availability for future generations. This includes utilizing renewable energy sources, reducing water and energy consumption, and improving energy efficiency in industrial processes. The focus on sustainability aims to strike a balance between human needs and environmental preservation.
He emphasized that companies have begun practical recycling of paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, and recyclable metals to achieve key benefits such as pollution reduction, increased recyclability, resource conservation, and cost reduction. Recycling plays a crucial role in environmental preservation, improving air and water quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and preserving biodiversity and wildlife, thereby enhancing the sustainability of ecological systems for future generations.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change recommended seven actions to contribute to environmental conservation, including: water and energy consumption reduction, reuse of bags and various materials, substitution of plastics with glass and recyclable materials, utilization of renewable energy sources to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere, planting plants and trees in available areas, continuous volunteering in environmental activities, and testing environmentally friendly products when making purchases, while staying informed about environmental and climate-related matters.
The environment is a vital issue for the state’s economic growth direction and perspective. Qatar’s National Vision 2030 focuses on achieving true sustainability in the areas of environment, economy, and society. Within this context, the pillars of sustainability are part of the Expo 2023 Doha’s theme, encompassing the following: Economic Pillar: Investing in innovative agricultural technologies, Social Pillar: Strengthening the connection between humans and nature to increase awareness, and Environmental Pillar: Transforming dry and barren lands into agricultural and forested areas.