Kuwait is currently facing a severe and escalating waste management crisis. This situation prompts environmental activists to demand immediate and systemic action. The nation is one of the world’s highest per capita producers of organic waste at approximately 1.4 kilograms per person daily. It struggles to manage an increasing accumulation of solid, liquid, and gaseous waste. Environmental experts warn that the situation will worsen significantly without radical intervention and sustainable strategies.
Jenan Behzad, Secretary-General of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, emphasized the urgency for comprehensive reforms. “We need to convert waste into electrical energy,” Behzad stated. She called for significant policy changes, enhanced recycling infrastructure, and greater public awareness campaigns about waste reduction.
Behzad identified Kuwait’s consumer-driven lifestyle, inadequate recycling infrastructure, and heavy reliance on landfills as key contributors to the growing crisis. Currently, the country utilizes three major landfills—Jahra, Seventh Southern Ring Road, and Mina Abdullah—for household waste disposal. Meanwhile, plastic packaging from supermarkets and restaurants has led to an alarming increase in plastic waste. Plastic items now make up nearly 80 percent of the marine debris floating along the coast, endangering the local ecosystem.
Food waste also remains a critical concern, especially during religious and national holidays. A recent study highlighted that food waste significantly spikes during Ramadan, when large quantities of edible food are regularly discarded. Food waste constitutes approximately half of all waste generated in the Gulf region. This is a staggering statistic emphasizing the magnitude of the issue.
Behzad proposed several solutions to tackle the problem. She advocated for adopting waste-to-energy thermal conversion technology and methane extraction from organic waste. Additionally, she supported biofuel production from surplus food, following successful examples from Germany and Sweden. “Solid waste contributes to around 2.4 percent of Kuwait’s total greenhouse gas emissions,” Behzad said. She noted that recycling and waste-to-energy initiatives could significantly reduce pollution and diversify energy sources.
She further stressed the importance of mandatory waste sorting at household and commercial levels. Providing separate bins for plastics, paper, metals, and organic waste would improve recycling efficiency. Additionally, Behzad suggested creating government-run sorting stations in every governorate. The private sector should be actively involved in waste management operations and invest in recycling facilities.
Behzad also highlighted gaps in law enforcement. “The Environmental Protection Law imposes fines of up to 500 Kuwaiti dinars for improper waste disposal, yet 58 percent of respondents in our recent survey were unaware of this regulation,” she said. She indicated that stronger enforcement and public education efforts are essential to resolving Kuwait’s waste management crisis.
