18R: rethink, reuse, recycle and more

The first day of the second Waste Management Conference and Exhibition 2022 witnessed a presentation on the 18R methodology for waste reduction.The new methodology was included in the “Zero Waste” campaign launched by the Ministry of Municipality earlier this year.The concept of 18R aspires to achieve a conscious society that has a culture of waste reduction and minimisation in order to become a waste-free country.The 18R methodology was explained in detail through a presentation by Jawaher al-Sulaiti from the Department of Waste Recycling and Treatment in the Public Services Affairs Sector.The official said that the new waste reduction technique seeks to develop a “thinking methodology” to achieve an advanced level of awareness of the importance of waste and its management.The 18 rules for waste reduction are as follows:1. Raise: It is important to raise awareness about the importance of waste and the need to think of ways in which it affects people’s consumption habits.There is a need to reduce the amount of waste people produce and increase the proportion of recycled waste.2. Research: “We encourage research in the field of waste in terms of discovering new technologies and finding out what materials can be recycled,” she said, stressing the need for implementation and development plans to reduce the negative effects of waste generation.An example is university research.3. Respect: “We must value every product and every piece of recyclable waste because the demand for it is increasing and it is a source for companies working in the field of recycling,” al-Sulaiti explained.4. Rethink: “We must reconsider the products we use, and start using fewer, alternative or recyclable products, because we are looking forward to reach a zero waste country.”5. Reduce: there is agreement on reducing the consumption of single-use materials, specifically plastic, in people’s daily lives and replace them with multi-use bags.6. Reuse: there is a need to reuse materials instead of throwing them away.Examples of these are glass containers, newspapers and magazines, old clothes and others.7. Remember: “We have to remember that we are a part of society and we need to find better ways to manage our waste, conserve our resources and raw materials, and create a more sustainable future.”8. Recover: “When you go for a walk on beaches, at parks and other places, do not leave waste there, but be responsible for maintaining ecological balance.”9. Repair: “We should develop a culture of repairing things rather than throwing them away in order to reduce waste.”10. Return: “If something stops working, take it back to the store or ask the manufacturer to fix it. The return policy will contribute to reducing waste.”11. Refill: Another way to reduce waste is reusing and filling multi-use containers.12. Rot (decomposition): There are devices designed for the purpose of decomposing food waste and converting it into organic fertiliser.“We can use this type of device in homes, restaurants and places where food waste is produced in large proportions,” the official said.13. Restore: “We are all obligated to protect our environment by increasing green areas and planting trees around us to help reduce carbon dioxide and restore ecological balance.”14. Reinvent: This can be done by extracting raw materials from waste products and recycling them.For example, wood from old furniture can be used to make new products.15. Recycle: “Recycling is the reuse of waste, and to produce new items. Currently, we have many factories working in the field of recycling and hope that there will also be many recycled products in the Qatari market in the future,” she noted.16. Repurpose: Using old things in new ways.“Get creative and have fun turning waste products into other useful materials,” al-Sulaiti advised.17. Regulate: It is very important to have systems and policies that support the reduction and reduction of waste (for example, setting up a policy for factories to recycle the percentage of their products instead of throwing them away, or creating a waste management law).18. Recruit: “Participate in spreading the culture of waste reduction by participating in media campaigns and community awareness initiatives or by sharing them with your children and family,” she added.