DM attempts Guinness World Record on Earth Day 2018

Dubai Municipality celebrated World Earth Day 2018 by creating a Guinness World Record forming the longest line of plastic bottles using 58,447 used bottles collected from the community on an area of ​​522 square meters along a line of 3842.5 meters … reports Asian Lite News.

Eng. Alya Al Harmoudi (R) and Tasnim Salem Al Falasi (L) receive Guinness World Record certificate. (Supplied Photo)

Dubai Municipality celebrated World Earth Day 2018 by creating a Guinness World Record forming the longest line of plastic bottles using 58,447 used bottles collected from the community on an area of ​​522 square meters along a line of 3842.5 meters. The Guinness World Record attempt was done by the Environment Department or Dubai Municipality in partnership with Oasis Water.

World Earth Day is an annual event that aims to bring together communities to raise awareness on environmental issues and inspire one another to unite for the planet. This year’s theme centers around putting an end to plastic pollution by encouraging the public to use less plastic, re-use more and recycle. As stated by the Earth Day Network, “From poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our waste streams and landfills, the exponential growth of plastics is now threatening the survival of our planet.”

Plastic pollution for more than 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics, have continued to rise. An estimated 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a four percent increase over 2012, and the trend has been showing upward over the past years. In 2016, world plastics production totaled around 335 million tons.

Plastics durability and slow degradation rate means it becomes long-lasting waste. Our tremendous attraction to plastic, coupled with an undeniable behavioral propensity of increasingly over-consuming, discarding, littering and thus polluting, has become a combination of lethal nature. Plastic breaks down into micro plastic and enters our food chain.

Eng. Alya Al Harmoudi, Director of Environment Department in Dubai Municipality, said that World Earth Day is a key event on the annual environmental calendar. She believes that “the theme this year is extremely important, as education is central to the future fate of our planet. Plastic pollution is global and prevalent issue that must be urgently addressed. We want our community to know and understand that each and every one of them can be change-makers”. She added that “encouraging behavioral changes toward plastic use is crucial to a healthier environment.”

Tasnim Salem Al Falasi, Head of Environmental Awareness Section stressed the importance of a continued dialogue with the public and believes that “environmental and climate issues cannot be overcome by any one entity and instead must be a combined effort of individuals, the community and organizations alike”.

Ahead of the Earth Day activities, the Environment Department executed a plastic bottle collection drive, as collection boxes were delivered to schools, government entities and private companies to encourage them to contribute their used bottles to the event.

In partnership with Oasis Water, Dubai Municipality executed an official Guinness World Record attempt of the longest line of plastic bottles, which also provided a chance to demonstrate to the public how many plastic bottles we are really using as a community. Reusable bottles will be distributed to the public as a sustainable alternative to plastic bottles.

“We are proud to partner with Dubai Municipality to celebrate Earth Day 2018 and raise awareness for the need to be environmentally conscious citizens and work together to reduce pollution and proactively seek out sustainable solutions. Earth Day 2018 is an important time for us to engage with our younger generations and raise public awareness on how we can all contribute towards making a difference,” said Sharif Ramadan, Head of Brands at National Food products Company (NFPC) and Oasis Water.

Following completion of the record, Dubai Municipality has partnered with Tadweer to collect all of the bottles and recycle them in their Dubai facility. This event further highlighted Dubai Municipality’s dedication to environmental awareness and involving the community in its wider efforts.

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