01-07-2020 | di COOPI

Lebanon. A pilot project to decrease plastic use

The awareness campaign ‘Don’t waste your waste’ implemented by COOPI in collaboration with COSPE, Mada, AUB, Coop. Erica, StudioAzue, and the Municipality of Jurd al Kaytee aims the decrease of plastic bags’ abuse. The campaign is part of the project “SWaM Akkar. Supporting Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Jurd al-Kaytee, Akkar” funded by the European Union.

In the last months 172 shops among supermarkets, mini market, butchers, pastry shops etc. took part to the awareness campaign filling a survey on the use and abuse of plastic bags in the municipality of Jurd el Kaytee. Results proved that the use of plastic bags in the municipality is still high: 100% of shops’ owners use plastic bags and give them for free to their customers; only one shop out of 127 explained that just one customer uses reusable bags; while 10% of the owners refuse to use paper bags.

Awareness session and tote bags' distribution (2019)

To face this situation and to decrease plastic bags’ use, the consortium created a survey for customers to underst (and their habits. Also, three supermarkets took part in a pilot project which included the distribution of reusable bags. Each supermarket received 25 tote bags and was asked to distribute them to its customers. After one month, shops reported the first results: most of the customers still prefer plastic bags than the reusable ones. Among those who received cotton bags, only one kept using it.

These results are the starting point for the next awareness activities. The project, indeed, will implement awareness sessions and training to understand the customers’ reasons in preferring plastic bags rather than reusable ones and to define the most efficient strategy to implement.

Door to door awareness (2019)

The campaign ‘Don’t waste your waste’ wants to create a common consciousness and to enhance waste management in the area of Jurd el Kaytee. Waste management is still a challenge in Lebanon. Communication and awareness are essential to reach communities and change their habits.