"Sustainable Consumption" Campaign in Collaboration Between the Environment Public Authority and Zero Waste"
The Kuwait Environment Protection Association (KEPA) announced the launch of the “Sustainable Consumption” campaign, in collaboration with and with logistical support from Zero Waste, in a community initiative aimed at promoting the concept of responsible consumption, reducing waste, encouraging reuse and recycling, and embedding sustainable practices in daily life.
The campaign’s first phase begins with a study of community awareness and behavior regarding the handling and disposal of used clothing, conducted through a survey targeting current individual practices and the extent of public knowledge about the possibility of reusing or recycling garments instead of discarding them as household waste.
Jenan Bahzad, Secretary General of the Kuwait Environment Protection Association, emphasized that “starting with a study of community awareness aims to build the campaign on actual data reflecting societal behavior and needs, thereby transitioning from measuring awareness to designing practical mechanisms that facilitate individuals’ adoption of sustainable behaviors.”
Bahzad added that “the campaign aims to raise awareness of sustainable consumption, reduce the volume of clothing and textiles disposed of as waste, encourage reuse and recycling, enhance community participation in waste reduction, and collect data that can be used to measure changes in behavior and awareness and to develop future environmental initiatives.”
She clarified that “following the analysis of the study’s results, the campaign will move to its implementation phase, which involves receiving surplus clothing, fabrics, textiles, bags, and shoes, collecting, weighing, sorting, and directing them to appropriate channels for reuse or recycling, in collaboration with and with logistical support from Zero Waste in collection, transportation, and handling of received materials.”
She noted that, according to statistics, household waste in Kuwait reached approximately 1.4 million tons annually in 2019, while the rate of municipal solid waste generation was about 1.6 kg per person per day, compared to a global average of 0.74 kg per person per day. Plastic accounts for about 16.7% of household waste, and paper and cardboard 12.1%. Meanwhile, the overall recycling rate in Kuwait is estimated at around 11% of generated waste, according to the “Kuwait Waste Management Atlas.”
