Coinciding with the national holidays and celebrations of Independence Day and Liberation Day, Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab, President of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, praised the relevant authorities, whether in the Ministry of Interior, especially the Environmental Police Department, the Public Security, Operations and Traffic sectors, as well as the teams of the Ministry of Public Works, Kuwait Municipality and the Environment Public Authority, for the tasks they carry out during the national celebrations by monitoring environmental violations, water waste and other transgressions.
Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab urged citizens and residents not to resent the enforcement of laws, given their direct impact on the environment and public health. She emphasized that these laws exist solely to protect both public safety and the environment. She added that the Kuwait Environment Protection Society has a responsibility to raise awareness about the importance of compliance and social responsibility. She stated that this national atmosphere presents the ideal time to demonstrate our patriotism by preserving natural resources and avoiding environmental violations and transgressions to avoid legal repercussions, particularly under Environmental Protection Law No. 42 of 2014, as amended by Law No. 99 of 2015.
In the same context, she said: “The decision to ban water guns during national celebrations came for fundamental reasons, the most important of which is preventing the waste of water, which is a scarce resource that we have a duty to preserve, especially since Kuwait is below the water poverty line, as the level is measured by the availability of water naturally. In Kuwait, water is available through the costly desalination process. Despite its scarcity, unfortunately, water is dealt with excessively. The concerned authorities have observed that during national celebrations, quantities of water sufficient for 14,000 housing units for one day are wasted, estimated at no less than 10 million gallons, according to what the Ministry of Electricity and Water announced previously.” She explained that this waste is linked to many sectors, such as air pollution and pressure on sewage networks, stressing the need to pay attention to preserving these resources and not wasting them during national holidays.
Regarding water balloons, she said: “Banning water balloons is in line with the Environmental Protection Law by preventing plastic pollution. The remains of balloons that are scattered in places that are difficult to remove make cleaning operations difficult, and these remains end up in the soil without decomposing for many years and may eventually end up in the intestines of living organisms, leading to their death.”.
She added: “According to the statistics of the Environmental Police Department, the number of cases registered related to dumping waste in places other than those designated for it in 2023 amounted to 458 violations,” noting that according to the estimates of Kuwait Municipality, 140 tons of waste were removed during last year’s celebrations.
Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab noted that “commitment to disciplined environmental behavior would protect the environment and its components, including natural habitats, wildlife, and environmental elements,” pointing out that “the association has observed many violations and transgressions against the environment during the recent national celebrations,” and urging citizens and residents to follow environmental discipline standards during the national holidays.
She explained: “Excessive water waste during the festive season not only contradicts the Environmental Protection Law but also the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals for a better and more sustainable future for all, especially Goal 12 related to sustainable consumption and production.” She added: “It is worth noting that the law stipulates a fine of 500 Kuwaiti dinars for wasting water in street washing or car washing, and for conserving water from waste.”.
