Kurdistan Region environmental board pleads for personal responsibility

SULAYMANIYAH – The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Environmental Board is stressing the importance of personal responsibility in adopting proper behaviors to address waste, including food leftovers. According to 964media, various restaurants and hotels within the Kurdistan Region have begun selling their food leftovers as animal feed.

The United Nations designated March 30 as the “International Day for Combating Waste” on Dec. 14, 2022. The day aims to annually encourage individuals, communities, governments, organizations, and companies to reduce waste, enhance awareness, and embrace circular production models.

The Kurdistan Region faces a significant waste management challenge, with urban centers, bodies of water, and rural landscapes marred by the accumulation of waste and refuse. Public awareness campaigns attempting to address the problem have had little impact on consumer behaviour

The Environmental Board underscored the significance of individual and collective actions in tackling the challenge of disposing of waste, especially food and goods, which have been a concern for years.

The board also emphasized the necessity of reconnecting with nature, promoting environmentally friendly behaviors, and avoiding overconsumption. It advocates for ongoing efforts to build a responsible, informed, and law-abiding society, hoping to reaffirm commitment to the “International Day for Combating Waste” annually from a perspective of responsibility.

Some of Kurdistan’s premier hotels and restaurants have formed agreements with farms and dairies to repurpose their food waste as feed for animals.

Ahwen Mustafa, a buffet manager at a Sulaymaniyah hotel, told 964media that they accumulate an average of 20 to 30 kilos of leftovers daily, particularly after breakfast and dinner services. These leftovers are sold at a nominal price under an agreement with a dairy, converting potential waste into a valuable resource.