Educational signs raising awareness about how matter decay in nature could be set up across Bahrain.
The initiative aims to engage the public in understanding the consequences of irresponsible littering, and how bad habits can affect the environment.
A proposal to put up these signs in public parks, walkways, seafronts and community spaces has been unanimously approved by the Capital Trustees Board.
“People often throw waste without realising the long-term damage it can cause,” said the board’s services and public utilities committee chairman Mohammed Al Abbas who spearheaded the proposal.
“These signs will be a wake-up call. When someone sees that a glass bottle they toss today might still exist in the year 6000, it can make them think twice,” he added.
He pointed out that, for instance, glass can last up to 4,000 years, plastic around 1,000 years, metal cans 100 years, and cigarette butts two years.
Capital Trustees Board chairman Saleh Tarradah welcomed the proposal and described it as an effective way to build environmental awareness through direct and accessible education.
“This is not just a visual campaign, it’s a national message,” he said.
“We want to make environmental knowledge a part of everyday life. These signs are a small but important step in changing public behaviour.”
The move comes amid rising concerns over Bahrain’s growing waste problem, with thousands of tonnes of garbage transported daily to the Hafeera landfill site.
The site is nearing capacity, and officials have warned that unless waste volumes are reduced, it could pose significant environmental and logistical challenges in the near future.
Capital Municipality director-general Mohammed Al Sehli backed the proposal and called for more community involvement in tackling poor environmental practices.
“We need to activate the role of society in reducing harmful behaviours like indiscriminate littering,” he said.
“We need intensified awareness campaigns, and even mosque preachers can play a role in sharing environmental messages in their sermons.”
Under the proposal, the signs will be rolled out in phases in co-ordination with municipal teams, and the initiative is expected to complement broader strategies promoting recycling, waste reduction and eco-friendly living.
The proposal is also seen as a stepping stone toward integrating sustainability into Bahrain’s urban planning and public services as pressure mounts to reduce the country’s reliance on landfilling as a primary method of waste disposal.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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