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Why recycle

  • Why should I care to recycle at all?

Recycling is an important way for individuals and businesses to reduce the waste they generate and reduce the negative impact of that waste on our environment.

Conserving renewable resources through recycling also helps preserve undisturbed land and natural diversity by reducing the amount of land needed for agriculture and timber production.

It generally takes less energy to make products with recycled materials than virgin materials, often significantly less.

Because most energy in Bahrain is generated by burning fossil fuels, using less energy means generating less water and air pollution--especially the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.


  • Why should I recycle paper?

70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.

Recycled paper produces 73% less air pollution than if it was made from raw materials.

The average person gets through 38kg of newspapers per year.

It takes 24 trees to make 1 ton of newspaper.


  • What type of paper can/can't I recycle?

You can recycle:

White office paper -printer -laser

Newspaper including inserts

Magazines

Cartdboard (Contaminated cardboard,like greasy pizza boxes, is not acceptable)

You can't recycle:

Food contaminated paper,

Waxed paper

Waxed cardboard milk & juicecontainers

Oil soaked paper

Carbon paper

Sanitary products or tissues

Thermal fax paper

Stickers and plastic laminated paper such as fast foodwrappers

Juice boxes

Pet food bags.

  • Why should I recycle plastic?

1 recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.

Most families throw away about 40kg of plastic per year, which could otherwise be recycled.

Plastic can take up to 500 years to degrade it never decomposes, it seeps in the environment and is carcinogenic (causes cancer).


  • What type of plastics can/can't I recycle?

Virtually everything made of plastic should be marked with a code

Types 1 and 2 are widely accepted in container form,and type 4 is sometimes accepted in bag form.

Grocery sacks, produce bags, and other packaging

These are great to reuse.

Not only do you save a new bag, but your old bags don't smell like chemicals

Plastic bottle caps are collected in many schools around Bahrain for charity.

Many products, such as compact discs, videotapes, and computer discs, are made from mixed materials which can't be recycledunless first disassembled.

  • Why should I recycle glass?

1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.

Glass is 100% recyclable and can be used again and again.

Glass that is thrown away and ends up in landfills will never decompose.

Every ton of glass that is recycled saves more than a ton of the raw materials needed to create new glass, including: 1,300 pounds of sand; 410 pounds of soda ash; and 380 pounds of limestone.


  • What type of glass I can/can't recycle

In Bahrain glass is separated by color.

Clean clear glass

Clean colored glass

Un-recyclable:

Most lightbulbs

Compact fluorescent (CFL) (they contain mercury)

Metal halide (Car -outdoor lights)

Tubular fluorescent

Incandescent (thin filament and filled with an inert gas like Argon and are incredibly energy inefficient) can only be recycled by specialized companies currently not possible in Bahrain.

Mercury vapor (should be recycled but as far as I know not possible yet)

Ultraviolet lamps: based on fluorescent, mercury vapor, LED, or incandescent technology and therefore their recyclability will depend on how they’re made.

High-pressure sodium vapor (outdoor street and parking lighting,)

  • Why should I recycle cans?

1 recycled tin can would save enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.

Mining aluminium has several consequences for the environment and people’s health.

Compared to mining and smelting, recycling aluminium drink cans is far less energy intensive.

Recycling aluminium requires only 5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the CO2 emissions as compared with primary production.

Recyling a ton of aluminum conserves up to 8 tons of bauxite ore and 14 megawatt hours of electricity.


  • Why should I recycle metal?

Recycling one ton of steel conserves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.

Recycling metal conserves energy that would otherwise be expended in drilling ore, refining the metal and other processes of the metal manufacturing process.


Recycling metal creates 36 times more jobs than sending the same amount of metal waste to the incinerator, and six times more than sending the metal to a landfill.


  • What type of metals can I recylce?

Aluminum cans

Metal cloth hangers

Empty aerosol cans

Appliances including washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators

Steel cans

Juice containers

Soda cans

Automotive parts such as engine blocks and frames

Building materials including roofing, bridges, fire hydrants, guard rails, utility poles, and home construction

Furniture such as filing cabinets, desks, bed frames, and tables

Other packaging for things like pet food, cleaning products, paint, shoe polish, sauces, coffee, and cookies

  • Who takes metal waste?

These companies collect metal waste


  • I am a individual where do I drop the recycling off?

The locations of drop off locations in Bahrain are on this page


  • I am a company who can deal with my recycling issues?

These companies collect your recycling in Bahrain


  • I am a school society or other who can help me with the collection of recycling?

These companies can help you


  • I have sewer- water waste who do I call?

These companies deal with waste water/ sewer water


  • How is waste disposed of in Bahrain?

All waste that you put out in the street every day is brought to a landfill in Askar where it is burried.

None of this domestic waste gets recycled or seperated at all.

The only waste that gets recycled is collected at the designated dropoff points scattered around Bahrain.

Building materials, truck tyres and fishing nets are among the items that have been thrown into the sea and are threatening the survival of coral reefs off the coast. (source)

Waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it.


  • How much waste do we generate in Bahrain

More than 3000 tons daily

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Bahrain related questions

  • Why is our water so salty in Bahrain?

All the Water is desalinated in order to convert salt water to fresh water so it is suitable for human consumption or irrigation in Bahrain.

Groundwater is no longer sweet and all sweet water springs (Ain) that Bahrain was famous for have have been tapped dry and no longer exsist.

Bahrain is small and our resources are streched beyond its limits, because of the huge population (growth) through better health facilities, more births, less deaths and industries and people that waste water due to impromper use.

Huge amounts have to be made potable each day and so the quality and sweetness of water suffers


  • How much water do we use daily per person in Bahrain?

Water consumption per capita in Bahrain is currently estimated at 125 imperial gallons per day (568 liters) , which is five times more than the minimum international standard (source)


  • Why is electricity so costly in Bahrain?

Electricity cost between 3-16 fils per kWh.

However it cost 37fils kWh to produce.

The real cost is subsidized by the Bahrain Government.

Also we misuse electricity big time we use 9,261 kilowatt-hours per capita, a figure that exceeds by more than three times the world's consumption average.


  • Is Bahrain using Solar/wind to generate power?

(source)A a Renewable Energy Consultancy Feasibility Study comprising an assessment of the potential of solar and wind resources in Bahrain for renewable energy generation of electricity by examining the solar and wind technologies with respect to their merits and demerits and then presenting recommendations based on the outcome of the study for the Authorities consideration and review was signed between H.E. Dr. Abdul Hussain Bin Ali Mirza the Minister of Energy Thursday afternoon 28 July 2011 with Fichtner Consulting Engineers of Germany for a value of BD. 345,805.


  • Does Bahrain utilize renewable energy?

EWA is investing to design a hybrid solar and wind energy station that will generate 5mw.

The plan is to increase the proportion of renewable energy utilisation to between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of total energy generation in Bahrain by 2030.

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Environmental questions

  • Why should we take care of the environment?

We are all required to take care of our surroundings for the basic reason that we live in the environment and are directly affected by its current state.

It's where we get the food we eat, water and other drinks we take, where we sleep and even the air we breathe.


  • What can I do at home?

Our health is directly linked to the health of our earth! what you can do.

The time is NOW to educate ourselves and our children about taking care of our environment.

Each of us can make a difference

Recycle

Plant trees

Install patio covers, awnings, and solar window screens to shade your home from the sun. For additional future savings, use strategically planted trees, shrubs and vines to shade your home. (Save: 5 percent)

Put waste in the bins

Water the garden after sunset

Walk of cycle

Nothing is more energy efficient for cooking than your microwave. It uses two-thirds less energy than your stove.

Unplug electronic devices and chargers when they aren't in use-most new electronics use electricity even when switched "off." Turn computers and printers off at the power strip. (Save: 1-2 percent))

Turn off appliances, lights and equipment when not in use. (Save: 2%)

Do your laundry efficiently by using the warm or cold water setting for washing your clothes. Always use cold water to rinse clothes. (Save: 4 percent)

Don't leave the care engine running when you wait for the children to come out of school

Save: 1 - 3 percent per degree, for each degree the airconditioning thermostat is set above 22 degrees

Dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing energy use. Clean filters weekly for maximum benefit. (Save: 1-2 percent)

Leaking ductwork accounts for 25 percent of cooling costs in an average home, so have your ducts tested and have any leaks or restrictions repaired by a qualified contractor.

Note: duct cleaning is not the same as duct sealing.

Surprise! Your dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand. Then let dishes air-dry to save even more!

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