BAHRAIN can generate up to 20 per cent of its power from food waste by implementing sustainable solutions, according to an expert.
Installing anaerobic digesters can help develop 2pc of the energy, while incinerators can contribute nearly 20pc of the electricity generated by the country’s power plants annually, said Arabian Gulf University (AGU) Environmental Management assistant professor Dr Sumaya Yusuf.
Anaerobic digesters are enclosed structures in which bacteria break down animal waste or waste food in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic breakdown).
Incinerators, on the other hand, burn waste at high temperatures and recover heat to produce energy via steam.
“Anaerobic digestion is a feasible solution for Bahrain and my proposal to the authorities based on my research,” Dr Yusuf told the GDN.
“This can be accomplished by enacting a policy of source segregation – every home should have containers for biodegradable waste.
“The Municipalities Affairs and the Supreme Council for Environment must take the initiative to install at least two containers in each home – a green for biodegradable waste and a black for other wastes such as metals and plastics.
“The waste from the green container can be transferred to the anaerobic digestion facility, and the energy generated by biodegradables, including sewage sludge from the waste water treatment plant, can help generate nearly 213.3 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity annually.
“This amount is equivalent to 2pc of total power generated in Bahrain each year, which is estimated to be around 18,000GWh.
“Incineration is another technology recommended for Bahrain; in the current state of mixed waste, incineration can meet 20pc of Bahrain’s power generation.”
According to a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) study in April last year, 50pc of the rubbish dumped into the Askar landfill annually is food waste, making Bahrain the top Arab country in food waste and the fourth in the world.
Dr Yusuf’s previous research found that each individual in Bahrain throws away approximately 136 tonnes of food each year, raising concerns about the geographical space of Bahrain reaching full capacity in terms of waste, with the Akar landfill exceeding its projected capacity and life span.
According to her study, municipal waste accounted for 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes annually in 2020, with food waste from households accounting for 50pc of that total last year.
“In Bahrain, as we previously reported, one-third of food generated and suitable for consumption is wasted, ranking the country first in the Arab region in terms of per capita food waste,” she said.
“There are numerous reasons for this, including the pandemic and unsustainable consumption.
“It is worth noting that food waste accounts for 41pc of total domestic waste in Bahrain, which is extremely high.
“We need a solution that is sustainable in terms of perception and practical reduction of food waste.
“Dumping into landfills is not a solution because it contributes to the larger environmental risk of greenhouse gas emissions, which have a significant impact on the climate.
“Methane emitted from these landfills is more potent than carbon dioxide – all of this necessitates the development of clean alternatives.”
In June, the GDN reported that the Cabinet was about to approve a new plan to address Bahrain’s food security challenges.
Meanwhile, as part of a six-month professional diploma course designed by Dr Yusuf last year, the AGU hosted a two-day workshop on food waste and its holistic management.
Specialists
Twenty-nine participants from Abu Dhabi and Bahrain – who are specialists in the field from the industrial, medical and municipal sectors – engaged with internationally acclaimed experts on the workshop specific to food waste management.
“It focused on all aspects of food waste and how it can be managed as in best cooking methods, right food storage, right way of consumption – every step to minimise the wastage and sustainable management was discussed,” noted Dr Yusuf.
“The sessions also looked into the inventory of food waste, daily wastage, it differentiated between food loss and food waste – the former is loss of food in its production stage while the latter is from the buying to disposal stage.”
raji@gdn.com.bh
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