MME, retailers join hands to send a green message
International Plastic Bag Free Day observed in Qatar
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), represented by the Public Relations Department (Awareness Section) and the Office of the Assistant Undersecretary for Public Services Affairs (Waste Recycling and Treatment, General Cleanliness Department), organised several awareness events on the occasion of International Plastic Bag Free Day, which falls on July 3 every year.
The events, according to an MME press statement, were organised with the participation of LuLu Hypermarket, Al Meera, Carrefour, and talabat in the presence of ministry officials and other participating entities.
The programmes included educating members of the public, including visitors to malls and shopping centres, on the issue by distributing awareness materials and environmentally-friendly bags.
This was done with the aim of informing the public of the need to reduce the use of plastic bags in order to preserve and sustain the environment, and help achieve Qatar National Vision 2030.
The events were aimed at encouraging members of society to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags and replace them with recycled bags.
Accordingly, thousands of environment-friendly bags were distributed through the participating entities, including hypermarkets and talabat.
Several awareness activities were also organised on social media (#FutureWithoutPlastic) to raise public awareness about the importance of using reusable bags and reducing the use of single-use plastic bags that pollute the environment.
Competitions were organised on social media to spread awareness about the dangers of plastic use while sending invitations to government agencies and institutions seeking their participation in the initiative.
Educational videos were also circulated, and these were aimed at reducing the consumption of plastic materials.
In addition to placing advertisements at the entrances of various institutions, stickers were placed on shopping carts while plastic bags were replaced with paper ones in the vegetables and fruits sections of hypermarkets.
Hassan Nasr al-Nasr, assistant director of Waste Recycling and Treatment at the MME, said that such events come in co-operation with leading retailers and other entities.
“Environment-friendly bags were distributed to various sections of the public. The campaign aims to reduce the consumption of regular single-use plastic bags and promote the use of alternatives made of cloth,” he added.
Nouf Bakhmis, head of the Awareness Section at the MME’s Public Relations Department, said that observing International Plastic Bag Free Day comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to create sustainable, environment-friendly cities and to promote alternatives to plastic “for our future and the sustainability of our resources”.
Officials from LuLu Hypermarket, Carrefour, Al Meera, and talabat thanked the MME for organising the initiative and praised the ministry’s efforts to reduce plastic bags.