Elham Asaad Buaras
A Muslim community organisation in Wales has launched a nationwide recycling drive during Ramadan aimed at tackling plastic waste generated at mosques.
The Bengal Dragons Foundation has introduced the Green Ramadan Plastic Bottle Drive, with a target of collecting up to 100,000 single-use water bottles over the course of the holy month.
Ramadan typically brings a sharp rise in mosque attendance, particularly for evening taraweeh prayers. With hundreds of worshippers gathering nightly, many mosques distribute bottled water, leading to a significant increase in plastic waste.
As part of the initiative, recycling bins have been delivered to participating mosques across Wales to ensure bottles are disposed of separately and processed appropriately.
Sheikh Muhammed Toulba, Imam of the South Wales Islamic Centre, said the project reflected the importance of environmental responsibility within faith communities. He described the scheme as a practical example of putting religious principles into action.
Babru Miah, project co-ordinator at the Bengal Dragons Foundation, said the increase in attendance during Ramadan brought additional environmental pressures. “Ramadan brings our communities together every night. With more people comes more waste, and we all have a part to play in dealing with it properly,” he told The Muslim News in a statement.
The campaign is being supported by Viridor, a recycling and resource recovery company, and the Prosiect Gwyrdd Community Fund, which provides financial assistance to community projects in local authority areas that form the Prosiect Gwyrdd partnership.
Collected bottles will be processed through established recycling systems, including plastic-to-energy recovery. Organisers say the approach is intended to reduce landfill waste while contributing to energy generation and wider circular economy goals in Wales.
The foundation estimates that, based on the average weight of a standard PET water bottle, the scheme could divert more than two tonnes of plastic from general waste streams in a single month. If achieved, it would represent one of the largest coordinated faith-led plastic reduction efforts in Wales.
The Bengal Dragons Foundation, a grassroots organisation working with South Asian and Muslim communities, says it plans to expand its environmental work alongside its existing youth and community programmes. It is inviting additional mosques across Wales to take part in the recycling drive.
Feature photo: Babru Miah, project co-ordinator at the Bengal Dragons Foundation, showcases the new recycling bins and posters installed at mosques to encourage worshippers to dispose of plastic bottles responsibly during Ramadan(Credit: Bengal Dragons Foundation to )
