SUR, APRIL 9 - Among the diverse scenes of Sur, the coastal city in Al Sharqiyah governorate of the Sultanate, a new welcoming object is an iconic fish sculpture near the Ekta Bridge of this city which is fast catching the attention of those who visit the city. Made of steel, wire grid and used plastic bottles by Be’ah, Oman Environmental Service Holding Company SAOC, a visitor will certainly be wowed at this huge sculpture but a simultaneous thought of protecting the environment and preserving the seas will also be planted in them.
A huge fish with its tummy packed with plastic materials, mostly drinking water bottles, eyes wide open, seemingly gasping for breath is definitely an eye-opener for many who recklessly throw plastic bottles and other materials outdoors which end up in the sea posing a great threat to the sea creatures.
“This sculpture is an amazing work by local artists and it speaks volumes on human cruelty of polluting our seas”, said Nikki, a visitor to this area.
According to statistics, 1 million birds, 100,000 mammals, sea turtles and countless fish die each year because of plastic waste. Oman deserves these sea creatures, and let’s join hands to preserve them.
In Oman, average municipal solid waste generation amounts to 1.2 kilogrammes per capita in a day resulting in an average of 2 million tonnes a year. Healthcare waste, on the other hand amounts to 4,500 tonnes in a year while industrial waste is 1.5 million tonnes per year.
“Our oceans are really polluted with plastics, which make their way into the sea and are then ingested by sea turtles, sea birds and other marine life causing suffocation or starvation”, according to the Environment Society of Oman (ESO).
“These plastics also end up in deserts and threaten camels and other wildlife. As plastics need a longer period to biodegrade and break down, they also enter the food chain and are then ingested by humans through seafood.”
Oman has zero tolerance towards environment pollution and last year, the country joined Chile, Sri Lanka and South Africa in UN Environment’s CleanSeas campaign against marine litter and ocean pollution.
It had also announced various measures including plastic bag bans, new marine reserves and drives to increase recycling. Oman has been making all efforts to limit the hazards of plastic on the environment and human health, as well as the sustainability of the ecological system and biodiversity.
Be’ah, Oman Environmental Service Holding Company SAOC, was established in 2007 and in 2009, a Royal Decree No 46/2009 granted be’ah the mandate and the legal status as the entity responsible for solid waste management in Sultanate of Oman.
It is working on moving towards sustainable waste management practices as per international standards by establishing the required infrastructure, restructure the municipal waste collection services, and improve public awareness of waste management.
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