Aims to guide people on how to deal with plastic waste

KUWAIT: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) yesterday affirmed necessity of promoting awareness of hazards resulting from plastic waste noting dissolution of such materials takes a very long time, some require up to 30 years. The warning was made by Dr Samira Al-Sayed Omar, KISR director, on the occasion of launching a campaign themed, "My day without plastic," by KISR's center for environmental research and life sciences.

The campaign aims to guide people on how to deal with plastic waste, shed light on these materials' negative impact on the environment and human health. Plastic materials do dissolve easily, Dr Omar said, adding that some items break apart in a few years but others are of heavy components that require more than 30 years to dissipate.

KISR has set criteria for specifications of plastic bags that are prone to melt away and has submitted recommendations to competent authorities on optimum thermal and chemical methods for generating fuel from hard plastic waste and transforming them into items of high economic feasibility. For his part, Chairman of Kuwait Red Crescent Society Dr Hilal Al-Sayer said in a statement on sidelines of ceremonial launch of the campaign that the activity aims to preserve the environment and find solutions to plastic contamination in Kuwait.

Protein bar ban
In other news, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) has called for imposing a ban on all imports of several kinds of protein bars for including non-halal ingredients. In a press statement Sunday, the PAFN Secretary General Adel Al-Suwait said the authority singled out Snickers, Mars, Bounty and Milky Way protein bars for the ban. He pointed that the authority has found that these products had non-halal ingredients. The PAFN has also proposed banning imports of all kinds of processed or unprocessed ruminant meats from Kazakhstan due to the recent outbreak of the anthrax infection. Meanwhile, the authority advised lifting the ban on imports of goat, cow, and lamb meats from Kyrgyzstan after the end of an anthrax outbreak. It also recommended ending the ban on imports of poultry and its products from the southwestern Russian region of Rostov Oblast after the deadly outbreak of the bird flu there ceased. - KUNA

Children Channel enrich knowledge

Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Mohammad Al-Jabri said on Sunday that the Children Channel enrich knowledge of Kuwaiti children and enhance traditions amongst them. In a press statement, on the sideline of the official launch of Children Channel, Al-Jabri affirmed his keenness to have quality educational and entertainment programs that will be presented to the kids, which would teach the young Kuwaiti generation about national responsibilities to contribute to the country's development. He added the channel achieved its objectives during a trial broadcast period, pointing out that the ministry would execute its plan to update and develop its studios and equipment as well as train Kuwaiti citizens to use the new technology. Al-Jabri thanked all of those who participated in the launch of the Children Channel. - KUNA