By Fahad Al Ghadani — MUSCAT: April 4 - Individual waste bins will shortly be distributed to households in the Darsait neighbourhood of Muscat as part of Muscat Municipality’s efforts to improve waste collection and disposal services across the city. Commenting on the initiative, Salim al Ghammari, Muscat Municipal Council Member, said: “We have received a letter from the authorities concerned seeking the cooperation of residents of Darsait in the allocation of waste bids to households in the area. This is in line with the Municipality’s campaign to enhance public hygiene in waste collection services.”
Recently, around 10,000 waste bins were distributed in the Muscat area, as well as 189 bins in other parts of Wilayat of Muttrah. Families have been requested to deposit their household waste in the bins allotted to each house for collection from 5 pm to 3 am. The move is designed to address the problem of foul odour emanating from open trash bins.
In some parts of the CBD and MBD districts in Ruwi, waterproof waste collection systems have been installed at sub-ground levels in an effort to eliminate foul odour and pests, as well as overcome the problem of overflowing garbage. The system, which is expected to be operational by July, will also make it more convenient for the Municipality’s cleaning staff to collect the waste.
Discussions are also under way to impose a cess on municipal waste collection in the Sultanate. A recent study shows that the average cost of waste collection comes to around RO 1.600 per month.
The cost of waste collection from homes and neighbourhoods is currently borne by the government. So is the cost of collecting food waste, market waste, farm and garden waste, packaging materials and other miscellaneous solid waste from residential areas.
Waste collection includes gathering of solid waste and recyclable materials and its transport to a location where the waste is emptied. The location may be a materials processing facility, a transfer station or a landfill.
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