Elham Asaad Buaras
Mosques across England have been urged to reduce single-use plastic as part of a nationwide Ramadan project, with the potential to save 500 tonnes of waste each year.
Projects Against Plastic (PAP) launched a pilot project in Bristol with representatives from mosques to find sustainable ways to serve food and drink during fasting, entailing installing a water fountain and dishwasher at seven mosques.
Following its success, which saved approximately a tonne of waste per mosque, organisers are calling on other cities to follow suit.
Mosques in the South West, South East, North West, and Midlands have responded to the campaign, and more are expected to follow suit. PAP charity founder Naseem said: “Protecting the environment is an important aspect of Islam, and together we can tackle plastic pollution nationwide.”
In the UK, there are thought to be over 500 mosques, and during Ramadan, each one can consume up to 3,000 plastic water bottles and 2,000 sets of plastic plates and cutlery.
Talukdar believes reducing waste in mosques would significantly benefit the environment. He said: “We’re working to get all mosques involved in the campaign and to say no to single-use plastic. If everyone gets involved, we could save around a tonne of waste per mosque.
This would benefit those communities directly and the country in general.”
He’s pleading with authorities to set up water replenishment stations. He further assured them that the team would support them in the transition by giving them tools for communication and education. It has the potential to save one tonne per mosque, or roughly the equivalent of 70 elephants.
Lord Dick Newby, leader of the Lib Dems in the House of Lords, hosted the nationwide launch of #PlasticFreeRamadan at Parliament.
He said, “If we are to clean up the environment, we’ve got to drastically reduce the use of plastic. Plastic-Free Ramadan is showing how this can be done. It deserves every success.”
Every year, almost 8 million metric tons of plastic pollute the environment and kill species. The chemical substances are potentially dangerous to people. According to a government announcement, some single-use plastics will be prohibited in England starting in October.
To combat the growing plastic problem, takeaways, restaurants, and cafes will have to stop using single-use plastic cutlery, plates, and bowls.
PAP and the volunteer Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership Group (BMSLG) have been addressing single-use plastic in mosques. Events have been hosted by the organisers to spread awareness, with people being urged to bring their bottles, which have reduced single-use plastic by 75 per cent.
Sheila El Dieb, Chair of the Environmental Task Group of the BMSLG, said: “By joining with this ground-breaking charity partnership, we believe we are giving the mosques their natural leadership roles at a critical period of the year.
“Ramadan is a time when Muslims are reconsidering their place in the world, along with their responsibility to the planet, each other, and our fellow global inhabitants.
“No step is too small to seek to find ecological ways of making our lives sustainable; no person is unimportant in this journey.”
Photo: Lord Dick Newby (centre), Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, hosts members of Projects Against Plastic and the Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership Group, for the nationwide launch of PlasticFreeRamadan
(Courtesy of Projects Against Plastic )
