Al-Monitor | Maysam Bizaer: With annual waste generation of more than16 million tonsand over 60 million tons of construction waste, Iran is said to be among the top 10 consumers of plastic in the world with more than10 million tonsof plastic being used in the country's packaging industry every year.
Waste collection costs the country some370 trillion rials(nearly $8.8 billion) alone, excluding the damage it inflicts on the environment and public health.
In December, mindful of these worrisome figures, the country's poor waste management system and a lowrecycling rateof about 8%, Kaveh Madani, then deputy head of the Iranian Department of Environment's Organization for Education and Research,launched the "Bi-Zobaleh"("No Waste")challengeon social media to invite and encourage ordinary Iranians to take action. (Madani recently resigned after reported hard-liner pressures).