Residents across Bahrain are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves and take part in activities aimed at reducing waste and creating cleaner, more sustainable communities.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Bahrain is calling on individuals, groups and organisations planning food redistribution and clean-up activities in the kingdom to register their initiatives, allowing them to be recognised alongside clean-up efforts taking place around the world.
The call comes ahead of World Cleanup Day, held annually on September 20, a global movement that goes beyond removing litter to addressing the systems and behaviours that generate waste.
This year’s theme, ‘From Clean Plates to Clean Cities’, focuses on food waste, one of the largest and most preventable waste streams affecting cities and communities worldwide.
Food waste remains a significant concern in Bahrain, making the campaign’s focus particularly relevant as hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rubbish are sent to Askar landfill each year. Some reports even suggest that food accounts for as much as 50 per cent of the waste disposed of at the site.
“World Cleanup Day reminds us that creating cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities requires collective action, with young people playing an important role in driving that change,” UN-Habitat GCC Representative and Head of Country Programme in Bahrain Dr Ayman El Hefnawi told the GDN.
“Their involvement can influence their peers, encourage responsible habits and strengthen their sense of responsibility towards the places they call home.
“In Bahrain, UN-Habitat continues to create opportunities for young people to contribute to more sustainable communities.
“We encourage everyone to see World Cleanup Day not simply as a one-day activity, but as an opportunity to turn everyday choices and collective action into lasting change.”
UN Habitat has suggested several ways to get involved, including organising community clean-ups, composting activities, awareness campaigns or food redistribution initiatives.
“People are also encouraged to reduce food waste at home, in schools, workplaces and at events, as well as raise awareness among others about the importance of avoiding unnecessary waste,” UN Habitat said on its website.
Such efforts are already taking place in Bahrain, where organisations are working to ensure surplus food reaches those who need it rather than ending up in landfill.
Last year, the Conserving Bounties Society, which operates the Bahrain Food Bank, donated 230 tonnes of surplus food that would otherwise have gone to waste to families and low-income workers across the kingdom. The organisation saved and distributed a further 183 tonnes of food in 2024 through collaborations with hotels, supermarkets, restaurants and coffee shops across Bahrain.
Globally, more than one billion meals are wasted every day, while millions of people continue to face hunger and lack access to basic services, highlighting the need for greater efforts to ensure food is used rather than discarded.
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