TBK tries -Recycling and composting in Bahrain

Back in 2015 I wrote several Blogs on recycling and composting in Bahrain and this was one of the first from Jan 2015 , Blog 3, with an Environmental New Year message:

                                           

                           My original compost drums back in 2015

What were your New Year resolutions?

Can you believe it- 3 weeks of the New Year have passed- how well are you doing with your New Year resolutions? One of mine was to start blogging, and here I am on week 3 and still going strong. The theme this week is the Environment. I wrote an article for our company Newspaper back in December challenging people to set a resolution to increase the amount of recycling they do in 2015.

 

                              Flowers from Awali church , composted

Why? The landfill space in Bahrain is running out and yet we as consumers throw out more and more rubbish. Packaging from our on line shopping, plastic bags from the supermarket, cans, bottles, paper, and plastic containers (eggs, milk, water bottles). Then there is the less obvious stuff- food waste (fruit and vegetable peelings, chicken bones, meat bones) garden waste (grass, weeds, and hedge cuttings), books, magazines, cardboard boxes, flip-chart paper, and unwanted clothes.

                  Collecting grass cuttings from the Park - 60 bin bags at a time!

Yet all of these things can be recycled. In Awali there are 4 sets of recycling bins  by the community pool/ back of the church, at the back of the Bapco club and opposite the Chevron offices and at the Back of the hospital. The recyclables in these cages are sorted here in Bahrain. They take paper, cardboard , plastic and cans . By having similar bins in your house it saves time sorting it out at the recycling cages. 

(Editors note- I had to update this paragraph as the Recycling contractor changed to Niduki and they do not recycle glass bottles as there is no glass recycling facility in Bahrain)

 

         Our new recycling cages from Niduki behind the church in Awali

If you have unwanted magazines pass them to the Dental surgery or Awali Hospital for people to read in reception.

My original food composting drums, later I had concrete slabs laid and added rotating drums

The grass, garden and food waste (except fish and meat) can be composted. I have set up two composting areas at home using old materials I found in the neighborhood. I use old chemical drums for food waste and grass which rots down very fast in the heat. For larger amounts I have set up a series of wooden composts and I put grass cuttings in one ( from a local park and my colleagues at work) , garden waste in another and hedge cuttings in a third as they all rot down at different speeds. I cover them with cardboard (e.g. boxes that tissues come in at work) to keep the warmth in . Then I water them regularly with recycled water to keep them damp. In Bahrain the composts rot down in about 3 months and make a great free organic fertilizer for pot plants, vegetable patches and flower beds. See the pictures below and contact me if you want to find out more.

                                  

                                               The finished organic compost

Books, clothes, and other unwanted Christmas gifts can be donated to the many charity shops who sell them to raise funds. I keep a box in my recycling cupboard at home and put in it carrier bags, books, clothes and other items I no longer need. Once a month I take the box to Charity shops such  as Tony the Dog Fathers shop or the Awali Thrift shop or BSPCA etc. The dog charities are also keen to receive Chicken and meat bones for their 200 dogs and 200 cats  and these can be delivered to their premises  on Friday mornings.( another update as Tony sadly passed away in 2018 but his work still goes on. They have moved both the kennels and the shop so best to check the website or Facebook page for their current location. )

The unpublished 2019 calendar to raise funds for the charity in memory of Tony created by James, Chester and I but rejected by Tony's replacement, Sandi Thom

As the weather turns cold in Bahrain the laborers, through charity Helping hands , are always in need of warm clothes, bedding, furniture and so on.

Hopefully that has given you a few ideas – there are lots more on the excellent website http://www.recyclepointsbh.com/which includes details of all companies that accept materials for recycling in Bahrain and how to set up a compost.

Wishing you all a happy environmentally friendly new year!

Now to end with my new British Kabayan environmental Blog footer designed by Chester Delos - Santos. 

But first, as i need to practice my Tagalog, may I say Mahal Kita, Ingat Palagi, Kita kits....

                           

   This is actually my favourite of the whole series.