RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative is celebrating World Environment Day on June 5 through the launch of programs to reduce plastic waste and clean the oceans.

Designated by the UN, the theme of World Environment Day 2023, “#BeatPlasticPollution,” will focus on ways to combat the pollution generated by plastic waste.

Approximately 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced annually, while only 9 percent of it is recycled worldwide.

In efforts to improve waste management, the Saudi Basic Industries Corp. has joined the Coalition to Eliminate Plastic Waste with the aim of cleaning plastic from the oceans.

SGI is collaborating with the National Center for Waste Management to develop a comprehensive national plan for waste management in the Kingdom to strengthen its leadership in circular economy practices. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2025.

Also in cooperation with the National Center for Waste Management, the Saudi Investment Recycling Co. is leading a waste management initiative in the city of Riyadh that will divert 94 percent of the city’s waste from landfills and convert over 1.3 million tons of biodegradable waste into agricultural fertilizers.

The ultimate goal is to remove 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually and build an effective waste management model to be implemented across the Kingdom by 2035.

Since the launch of SGI in 2021, 77 individual programs representing an investment of more than $186 billion in the green economy are already in progress. The programs have three tangible objectives: to reduce emissions, increase vegetation, and protect local biodiversity and landscapes.

During June, SGI will implement an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about environmental conservation efforts in the Kingdom.

For more information about the ongoing programs under the SGI umbrella to protect land and marine areas and enhance biodiversity in Saudi Arabia, please visit: https://www.greeninitiatives.gov.sa/ar-sa/sgi-initiatives