Council Revives Supermarket Proposal for Waste Bag Distribution

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The Northern Area Municipal Council has renewed calls to involve major commercial supermarkets in distributing household waste bags, as councillors press for urgent solutions to recurring service disruptions affecting residents.

The proposal, submitted by Sixth District municipal council member Abdulla Abdulhameed Ashoor, was placed on the agenda for the council’s tenth ordinary meeting. It urges coordination between the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture and large retail chains to help residents access waste bags more easily.

Challenges

According to the memorandum, the current reliance on automated dispensing machines has exposed several operational weaknesses. These include frequent technical failures, sudden service stoppages linked to regulatory and contractual issues, and an insufficient number of machines relative to the population size. Councillors also highlighted traffic congestion around some machines, which makes access difficult and discourages regular use.

Concerns

Municipal assessments point to growing public dissatisfaction, with repeated complaints about service interruptions. The impact is felt most strongly by elderly citizens and other vulnerable groups, who struggle to reach machines that are unevenly distributed across neighbourhoods. Councillors warned that continued disruption risks undermining confidence in municipal services.

Proposal

Under the suggested approach, large supermarkets would serve as additional distribution points, easing pressure on existing machines and improving accessibility. Council members argue that the wide geographic spread of major retailers offers a practical interim solution until machine capacity and coverage improve.

Response

In its written reply, the ministry stressed that it highly values maintaining the continuity of waste bag distribution. It outlined existing measures, including regular machine replenishment, monitoring usage rates, technical system upgrades linked to new national identity cards, and studies to rebalance machine locations according to actual demand. The ministry also noted that a previous attempt to involve major commercial outlets failed due to limited cooperation from retailers.

The council is expected to recommend urgent approval of the proposal, while acknowledging the ministry’s efforts. The debate reflects a broader parliamentary style scrutiny of service resilience and the search for flexible partnerships to meet growing municipal needs.