Environment Ministry launches 'Private Universities Electronic Waste Recycling Challenge'

Darine Al-Ali

The Public Authority for Environment launched yesterday morning the initiative “Challenge of Private Universities for Recycling E-Waste,” organized by the Eco Incubator for Environmental Projects, targeting students from private universities with participation from six universities competing to collect e-waste for recycling.

Sheikha Al-Ibrahim, the official spokesperson for the Authority, representing the Acting Director General Nouf Bahbahani, stated during a press conference held for this purpose yesterday morning that this initiative reflects the importance of engaging youth and students in environmental issues, and enhancing their role in adopting and disseminating sustainable practices within their university and community environments.

She emphasized that the Authority attaches great importance to the issue of waste management in all its forms, including e-waste, given the environmental challenges it poses, which require handling based on sound scientific and regulatory foundations to help mitigate its impacts on the environment and public health, and to enhance the recovery of reusable and recyclable materials.

She clarified that this initiative aligns with the directions of the National Strategy for Integrated Waste Management, which aims to develop a more efficient and sustainable waste management system in the State of Kuwait by reducing waste generation, promoting reuse and recycling, improving resource efficiency, and minimizing the quantities sent to landfills.

She stressed that targeting university students with such initiatives represents a genuine investment in building environmental awareness among a generation capable of driving change and transforming sustainability concepts from theoretical principles into daily practices, innovative projects, and actionable ideas. She affirmed the Public Authority for Environment’s commitment to encouraging initiatives that strengthen partnerships with educational institutions, contribute to raising environmental awareness among students, and motivate them to innovate and actively participate in finding practical and sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, while also activating youth participation as a key partner in driving change and building a more sustainable future.

For his part, Jasem Al-Abou, founder of the Eco Incubator for Environmental Projects, explained the details of the challenge, noting that “this initiative will run for three months, and containers will be distributed across all participating universities to collect e-waste.”

He pointed out that the initiative will also include organizing workshops in collaboration with the Public Authority for Environment to raise awareness about the importance of sorting and processing e-waste, adding that at the end of the initiative, there will be an environmental report and awards for the top three winners.

For her part, Maali Al-Rashid, Head of the Human Resources and General Services Group at Warba Bank, stated that “Warba Bank’s support for this challenge does not come as a superficial gesture, but rather stems from its firm commitment and our responsibility as a leading national banking sector to embrace environmental sustainability.”

She added, “Our belief is that true investment is an investment in the future of our environment and our protection. Therefore, at Boubyan Bank, we strive to leverage our capabilities to support projects and solutions that mitigate the environmental impact of waste.” She emphasized, “We are keen to embrace this initiative, as it is not limited to numbers alone, but fundamentally contributes to instilling and entrenching the values of sustainability in the hearts of our students.”

For his part, Ahmed Nasser Al-Nuwaibet, Director of Public Relations and Social Media at Kuwaiti telecommunications company stc, affirmed that “stc is proficient in both technical and digital fields, and thus participates in the most important initiatives and ideas.” He considered that “recycling electronic waste has become part of digital development.”

He added that part of the company’s strategy and objectives is to ensure that employees hold firm and entrenched values through which they support the community, with youth and university students representing one of its most important segments. He stressed the importance of encouraging and motivating students to participate in this valuable initiative, which carries a noble goal, as it is based on recycling something you own to create added value.

He continued, “We work through a fixed principle in the sustainability sector: small steps for a big impact. The device you donate, whether damaged or unused, has a significant impact on technological development and supporting Kuwait’s future vision.”

For his part, Misha’i Ayman Boudi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Kuwait Technical College (KTEC), expressed his pleasure at participating in this initiative alongside this group of private universities. He said, “We do not only strive to provide academic achievement for our students; we are also concerned that they keep pace with global developments, as well as with the ‘Kuwait 2035’ vision and its focus on sustainability.” He added, “Our duty today is not merely to contribute to society, but for our children, to connect them with what will happen in the future so they can help complete Kuwait’s vision.”

For his part, Associate Professor Jan Al-Ashqar, Director of the Project-Based Learning Center in the Petroleum Engineering Department at the Australian University, said, “Discussing sustainability leads us to think about appropriate solutions for environmental problems and recycling.”

He added, “The greatest challenge is how to translate this knowledge into behavior, and how to translate this behavior into a real impact on society,” noting that the Australian University consistently works on these issues with its students.

He pointed out that the Australian University is keen to provide all sustainability-related matters to its students through a project-based learning center, adding that the university also conducts research on waste treatment, and that this initiative will allow students to learn about a new type of waste: electronic waste.