��������

RIYADH: In a bid to reduce plastic waste and promote animal welfare, Hail Municipality has launched a smart machine that recycles used bottles, leftover food and water into meals for stray animals.

The Saqya Rahma initiative aims to strike a balance between sustainability and compassion through a simple, tech-driven solution.

“The primary motivation lies in converting recyclable waste — such as plastic bottles, leftover food, and water — into a useful resource that helps hydrate and feed stray animals,” Saud Al-Ali, assistant secretary of Hail Region for Media and Corporate Communication, told Arab News.

“This achieves a balance between caring for the environment and supporting living creatures,” he added.

The machine allows people to place leftover food and water into designated compartments and insert empty bottles for recycling.

“Instead of being discarded, these bottles are reused as a raw material for recycling, creating a direct environmental impact by feeding stray animals in a sustainable and responsible way,” Al-Ali said

“This simple step helps reduce unrecycled plastic waste and transforms it into an environmentally beneficial process.”

He said the initiative is also designed to promote long-term behavioral change among residents by encouraging sustainable habits and reducing the environmental burden caused by plastic pollution.

Al-Ali emphasized that the initiative aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to enhance the quality of life and environmental sustainability.

“It supports the vision’s environmental and sustainable development pillars by reducing waste, promoting recycling, and improving treatment of living creatures. It also enhances community involvement in environmental work and encourages eco-friendly practices in daily life.”

Among those who welcomed the initiative is Mohammad Al-Lahham, a resident who looks after stray cats. He said this initiative offers a practical solution that benefits both the environment and animals.

“I do believe that providing food, in exchange of plastic would encourage people to be more open about their care for the little ones, along with creating an awareness towards the environment,” Al-Lahham told Arab News.

“Making them (people) know that the more they recycle bottled water, the more cats would find food and water, so it is a win-win situation,” he added.

Al-Lahham also pointed to the public health implications of neglecting stray animals.

“Unfortunately, on a day-to-day basis, you do find a lot of dead cats for multiple reasons, and that invites bugs, ravens, and with that, of course, a lot of reasons for diseases,” he said.

“I may not be well versed on the topic, but I can at least be aware that those things may affect other animals and maybe other living beings one way or another, so caring for those cats would reduce the chance of that happening.”

Al-Lahham also believes that over time, the initiative could inspire a stronger culture of recycling across the Kingdom.

“I am certain it would make a massive impact with time, and encouragement from the locals, to reduce plastic pollution, and in the process increase awareness to other types of items that need to be recycled, and that would create a culture among the cities and the country as a whole,” he said.

“For recycling, making cities cleaner, and making those little ones thrive as well, because they will find food, water, and lots of love from the people,” he concluded.