INSIGHT: Dr Igor Krupa, Qapco Polymer Chair at Qatar University, speaking to the participants of the waste management seminar organised by Pakistan Engineers’ Forum (PEF).

At the seminar, experts from the region discuss challenges
and environmental issues related to waste management.
By Umer Nangiana


Inviting two prominent experts from the region, Pakistan Engineers’ Forum (PEF) recently organised a technical seminar tackling issues of waste management, sharing the most modern techniques being used by the countries around the world to address the problem effectively.
PEF is a non-profit organisation established in 1997 under the patronage of Pakistan embassy in Qatar and represents over 300 engineers of Pakistani origin working in the country.
Speaking about ‘utilisation of plastic and natural waste for advanced applications,’ Dr Igor Krupa, Qapco Polymer Chair at Qatar University and supervisor of four PhD students, identified techniques that can be employed to utilise plastics for second or third use.
“Most plastics are for very short time use. We use them for a few seconds and that is all and it results in huge waste. So we can collect it and use it again. And this is what we are doing at Qatar University, finding ways on how to use especially locally-produced plastic,” said the speaker.
“We also do the analysis of utilisation of date palm waste. Date palm produces a lot of waste and we found that we can get fibres which can be mixed with polymers to get the so called composites which are materials for good mechanical performance,” said Dr Krupa, speaking to Community.
The plastics, he said, can be re-used for the same purpose or something else can be made out of it which is also cheaper. The plastics can also be cut into small pieces incorporated into concrete, the expert added.
Dr Krupa obtained his PhD from Polymer Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences in Slovakia in 1999 where he worked till 2012. In 2012, he was appointed as Qapco Polymer Chair at Center for Advanced University in Qatar University.  His research interest is focused on polymeric blends and composites, electrically conducive composites, phase change materials, sol-gel technologies and plasma treatment of plastics.
He is the author or co-author of 105 scientific papers. He presented lectures and posters on the international and local conferences. His papers have been cited in peer-reviewed journals.
Till now he has been supervisor or co-supervisor of four PhD students. He has also been LPI or PI of many local and international projects, including three NPRP projects.
Through a multimedia presentation, Rehan Ahmed, Head of Waste Disposal Unit, Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain spoke about meeting the challenges of municipal waste management in GCC countries.
“Waste management is now one of the major environmental challenges being faced by the GCC, Arab and developing countries. As many as 51mn GCC residents are generating 26mn metric tonnes of municipal waste every year,” said the expert.
The reasons of high waste generation in GCC countries, he identified, are industrialisation, urbanisation, population growth (3%) and influx, commercialisation, consumerism besides rise in general standard of living.
He revealed that waste that is generated is required to be stored, separated, transported, treated and disposed, all of which have an economic, social and environmental burdens to be taken by the respective municipalities and government organisations.
“The 2011-16 National Development Strategy has listed several targets to reduce the amount of waste produced, including a goal to increase recycling rates from 8% to up to 25%,” said Ahmed, adding that food waste in GCC countries is around 40% of organic waste. Bahrain generates around 400 tonnes a day during Ramadan.
“Due to immense waste management problems, the waste managers are adopting and promoting the 3-R approach of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ as the waste hierarchy. Despite increased focus on recycling in recent years, landfills are still the predominant destination for waste disposal,” said the expert.
Ahmed is an environmental and sanitary engineer by profession having educational qualifications of Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and has earned two Master of Science degrees in Environmental and Sanitary Engineering from the Netherlands.
He has over 33 years of professional experience on projects related to waste management and environmental impacts assessments. He has been instrumental in construction, development, operation and management of Hafira industrial landfill site and establishment of healthcare waste treatment facility in Bahrain.
Ahmed has working experience in Bahrain, Pakistan and the Netherlands. He has authored two books on ‘Waste Rubber Recycling’ and ‘Compost and its Utilization’, in addition to a number of technical papers and conducting seminars and workshops.
The seminar was attended by members of PEF alongside Arbab Qaiser, the Commercial Attache of Pakistan Embassy, Sadia Gohar Khanam, Head Chancery Pakistan Embassy, Sarfaraz Khanzada, ex-ambassador of Pakistan to Qatar, Rashid Nizam, Community Welfare attaché and Dr Mazhar Monga.
The seminar was sponsored by Sappahire Hotel besides Saudi Cables, KG and TRAGS.