From: Team 4 (Mohammed Al-Naimi, Abdulaziz Al-Balushi, Noof Al-Nassr, Deena Al-Hail,

Shaikha Al-Burshaid)
ENGL 210 Technical and Professional Writing
Dr. Mary Queen
Technical Report Final Draft
Due Date: 18 April 2024

Single-Use Plastic Pollution in Qatar’s Marine Ecosystems

Abstract
This report talks about how Qatar's heavy use of single-use plastic hurts the environment.
Plastic is famous because it is cheap and lasts a long time, but because it breaks down slowly, it
pollutes the environment over time. A lot of single-use plastics are used in Qatar, which makes
these environmental problems worse. A lot of plastic trash in the ocean is very bad for the
ecosystems there. This is especially true along Qatar's coast, where plastic trash makes up most
of the trash. The study that was done for this report mostly used secondary research methods.
Several ideas have been put forward to try to solve this problem, such as making it easier to
recycle, using biodegradable plastics instead, putting in filtration systems to catch plastic waste
in waterways, and researching plastics that can be used to make fuel. The most realistic way to
solve Qatar's plastic use problems is to use biodegradable plastics, after all four options were
thought through.
1. Introduction
In the past few years, both worldwide and locally, a huge amount more plastic waste
has been made, which is bad for the environment and people's health in many ways.
People in the Arabian Gulf haven't paid much attention to this problem, even though it
has so many effects. With a focus on Qatar, this study looks into what can be done to
clean up the plastic waste there. There are practical ways to deal with plastic pollution,
such as building advanced plastic recycling facilities, putting filtration systems in
waterways, and looking into technologies that turn plastic into fuel. However, the main
goal of this report is to find out if biodegradable plastics can be used instead and how
well they work. By looking at how they are used and what effects they have, this paper
tries to figure out what role biodegradable plastics might play in reducing the problem
of single-use plastic waste in Qatar's marine environment. A lot of work has been done
over many years to cut down on plastic trash and pollution in the water and on land.
One thing the European Union did to get things going was make the garbage Framework
Directives and the garbage management system in 1975. Keeping things from going to
waste, reusing them, recycling them, recovering them, and throwing them away are
listed from least to most desired. There are rules like this in many countries, but they
 don't always work. Only 8% of plastic trash in the US is recovered. The other 76% is
thrown away. Europe throws away 31% of its plastic trash, but 30% of it is recycled
(European Union, 2018).

Figure 1: Historic and projected waste production from 2008 to 2030, from the
Planning and Statistics Authority in Qatar

Single-use plastics are favored for their affordability and strength. However, they take a
very long time to break down, leading to serious pollution. On Qatar’s west coast, nearly
71.4% of the litter found in marine areas is plastic.This excessive plastic waste is
damaging our oceans and harming marine life.Let us look at Qatar’s waste production
from 2008 with projections up to 2030. This graph shows an increase in waste
production over the years, signaling a need for better waste management.
(Veerasingam et al., 2020)
2. Methodology
In Qatar, the problem of single-use plastic waste needs to be fixed in the best way
possible. That was our goal. To help us find the best answer for Qatar, we made a list of
criteria that we used to rank the solutions we found.
Instead of coming up with new ideas, we looked into ones that already existed. A lot of
scholarly papers, news stories, and official websites were read to help us do this. We
mostly focused on secondary research because it was easier to find information in the
TAMU library than to do our own study. For instance, we used Google Scholar, Science
Direct, and other resources to find information about plastic pollution in Qatar and
other related issues. Besides that, we counted on academic journals from the TAMU
library database because they are trustworthy and full of information. These pieces are
reliable sources because they were written by experts who have to keep records of their
work.
 2.1 Decision Matrix and Criteria
To find the best way to deal with Qatar's problem with single-use plastic
pollution, we created a framework with four criteria and ranked the suggested
solutions by how well they met those criteria. First, we took a close look at all
the possible ways to improve Qatar's current position. It took more than four
different ideas to find a way to lessen the damage that single-use plastic does to
the earth. The product was judged on how well it worked, how long it lasted,
how cheap it was, and how easy it was to use (Phanisankar et al., 2020). Which
choices would save the most money were chosen by giving the most weight to
the ones that would have the least effect on the budget. When figuring out how
easy something was to do, the focus was on how doable the idea was when time
and resources were limited. The main way to rate how well a solution worked
was by how well it fixed the environmental issues in Qatar. The last criterion
looked at how long the suggested ways would last and work. We ranked each
answer from 1 (worst) to 4 (best) so that we could see how it measured up. We
made a decision matrix to help people make the best choice after putting these
numbers and factors together. Figure 1 shows a decision grid that was used to
choose the best resolution from the ones that were looked at.
Upgrade Plastic Biodegradable Install Develop Plastic-
Criteria Recycling Plastic Use Waterway to-Fuel
Facilities Filters Conversion
Methods
High initial Moderate upfront Moderate to High initial
Cost investment, but costs for new high investment in
potentially materials, may be installation research and
lower long- offset by reduced and development,
term waste disposal maintenance potentially high
operational fees costs operational
costs costs
Complex and Requires changes Moderately Highly complex,
time- in material complex, requires
Ease of consuming to sourcing and requires significant
Implementation implement, potentially identifying technological
requires consumer suitable advancements
infrastructure behavior locations and
upgrades and managing filter
training systems
 Potentially high Effectiveness Can prevent May reduce
effectiveness if depends on plastic from plastic waste but
Effectiveness in recycling rates biodegradation entering the creates air
Reducing Plastic increase rates and proper ocean but pollution
Pollution significantly composting doesn't concerns
infrastructure address
existing plastic
pollution
Requires ongoing Requires May create
Encourages a production of ongoing filter dependence on
Long-Term circular biodegradable maintenance a new
Sustainability economy by materials, and disposal of technology with
keeping plastic potential for trapped plastic unknown long-
in use microplastic waste term
pollution if environmental
biodegradation is impacts
incomplete
Table 1: Decision Matrix that was used to find the best solution
3. Research Findings
Qatar, like many other wealthy countries, has to deal with the rising problem of
pollution caused by single-use plastics. This problem hurts the area's beautiful shoreline
and puts the area's many marine ecosystems in great danger (Kunwar et al., 2016). In
line with Qatar's National Vision 2030 for an environmentally friendly future and in
recognition of this problem, let us look into different ways to deal with single-use plastic
trash and the damage it does to marine environments.
3.1 Biodegradable Plastic:
This type of plastics is a good alternative because they break down faster than
regular plastics. That way, trash made of plastic will not end up in landfills, rivers,
or the ocean. Before its use is implemented in Qatar, there are some important
things to think about. Plastics that break down on their own come in different
types. Where they come from, some may take years to break down, but in some
composting conditions, they may break down fast. It is important to pick
materials that break down at the right speed for the weather and the way trash
is handled in Qatar (Kumar et al., 2020). For biodegradable plastics to break
down fully in compost, the right conditions must be present. If Qatar does not
have the right building blocks for these things, putting them in dumps might not
be good for the environment. Building recycling areas and teaching people the
right way to throw away trash are both very important. If you recycle plastic,
 very small bits of plastic called microplastics may come out. These tiny pieces of
plastic may still be harmful to ecosystems and sea life.
A thorough grasp of the characteristics of biodegradable plastics and suitable
waste management techniques are necessary for their implementation.
Biobased and biodegradable plastics must be separated from one another
because they are not always the same. While biodegradable plastics decompose
into natural components but may not always be biobased, biobased plastics use
biomass as a raw source and may not always biodegrade. It is crucial to choose
materials taking into account Qatar's waste infrastructure and climate.
Processing biodegradable polymers requires taking into account factors including
flow anomalies, heat degradation, and moisture management once they have
been chosen. For these plastics to keep their qualities, pre-drying and specialist
processing tools would be needed. Biodegradable plastics have a wide range of
applications, such as compostable trash bags, mulch films, catering supplies, and
medical technology (European Bioplastic, 2008). Their disposal, though, needs to
be handled with caution. The following options have an impact on the
environment: landfill, composting, incineration with energy recovery, and
recycling. The most environmentally beneficial option is composting;
nevertheless, in order to achieve effective degradation, facilities need to be
maintained and equipped appropriately. Furthermore, certification is essential
for confirming compostability and directing customers (European Bioplastics,
2016; Rujnic-Sokele, 2017).
3.2 Investing in Advanced Recycling Facilities:
Chemical recycling, often known as advanced recycling, is an addition to
conventional mechanical recycling techniques. Advanced recycling uses chemical
changes to turn plastic trash into easily usable commodities, whereas
mechanical recycling comprises washing, shredding, and pelletizing plastic
waste. Advanced recycling can treat mixed, multi-layered, and contaminated
plastics, in contrast to mechanical recycling, which works best with clean, high-
quality waste. Utilizing pyrolysis facilities is a crucial component of advanced
recycling, as demonstrated by a study on the pyrolysis of plastic waste. Four
distinct pyrolysis facilities were investigated, each of which produced different
oil characteristics that had an impact on the total recycling efficiency (Namkun et
al., 2022. It was discovered that the kind of feedstock and particular pyrolysis
circumstances affected the pyrolysis oil's efficiency and chemical properties.
Operating circumstances had a substantial impact on the amount of pyrolysis
gases produced, but not on their composition.
 Different types of plastic can be separated with modern sorting technology. This
makes recycling more effective and cuts down on the amount of plastic trash
that ends up in Qatari landfills. These changes could make Qatar's general
recycling rate much higher. Making new plastic, which takes a lot of energy and
materials, is less necessary when people recycle more. This means that Qatar's
use of plastic has less of an impact on the environment (Constantinescu et al.,
2019). Putting this idea into action, on the other hand, needs careful planning.
Long-term cost analysis is important because making changes to a building costs
money up front. It is very important to look at the long-term cost benefits
compared to the present system as well as any possible financial gains from
more recycling. It also becomes clear how important it is to educate consumers.
Campaigns to make people more aware are necessary to get people to separate
their trash properly. As a way to get the most out of modern recycling centres, it
is very important that people know how to sort things correctly.
3.3 Installing Waterway filtration systems:
Another proactive strategy is to keep plastic waste from ever entering the ocean,
as opposed to just treating the pollution that is already there. Installing stream
filters in appropriate locations to catch plastic waste before it enters water
bodies is one useful tactic. By stopping plastic pollution immediately, this
strategy provides benefits right away. However, thorough planning, consistent
upkeep, and suitable infrastructure are necessary for successful implementation.
To improve outcomes, it is essential to determine where filtering devices should
be installed based on plastic concentration and water flow patterns. Plastic
waste can be prevented from entering marine habitats by carefully putting filters
in streams and rivers. By acting as barriers, these filters stop plastic from
washing downstream.
Dilkes-Hoffman et al. (2019) highlight the efficacy of this strategy, which stops
plastic waste at its source and offers an instant remedy. By addressing the
underlying cause of plastic pollution, stream filters differ from reactive cleanup
initiatives. Despite their potential, stream filters need to be installed carefully
and maintained continuously. Filters must be cleaned and inspected frequently
to guarantee their continued functionality. Isahaku (2024) emphasizes how
crucial regular upkeep is to maintaining filters at peak performance. In addition,
infrastructure and specialist resources are needed for the proper disposal of the
gathered plastic. The optimal location of filtration systems should take into
account areas with a high concentration of plastic and the dynamics of water
flow.
3.4 Developing plastic-to-fuel conversion technologies:
 Researchers have looked into creative ways to deal with the problems that
plastic trash poses to the ecosystem. Conversion techniques, which turn waste
plastic into clean chemicals and fuels, are one such alternative. By keeping
plastic out of waterways, these techniques provide a proactive approach to
reducing plastic pollution. It involves heating discarded plastic without oxygen.
By breaking down polymer chains, this method produces useful byproducts like
synthesis gas (syngas), bio-oil, and bio-crude oil. While bio-crude oil acts as a
predecessor to conventional crude oil, bio-oil can be further refined for use in
transportation. Applications for syngas, a hydrogen and carbon monoxide
combination, are numerous. The other method, liquefaction, uses supercritical
water or solvents to turn plastic trash into a liquid product.
Plastics are broken down into tiny hydrocarbons that can be used to produce
fuel by supercritical water. Finally, gasification is the process of processing waste
plastic at high temperatures with steam or air to produce syngas. The effective
application of these techniques necessitates frequent maintenance, thoughtful
evaluation of process parameters, and the location of filtration systems in
relation to plastic concentration and water flow dynamics (Nanda et al., 2021).
4. Analysis
Criteria Upgrade Biodegradable Waterway Plastic-to-Fuel
Recycling Plastic Filters
Cost Effective 3 4 3 3

Ease of 2 4 2 1
Implementation
Effectiveness in 4 3 2 2
Reducing Plastic
Pollution
Long-Term 4 4 2 4
Sustainability
Total 13 15 9 10

4.1 Upgrade plastic recycling facilities with advanced sorting tech

Adding state-of-the-art sorting tools to plastic recycling sites costs a lot of money
up front because the tools need to be bought and set up (Schmaltz et al., 2020).
Still, in the long run, fewer steps of sorting by hand and better recycling might
lead to lower working costs. It's hard to use this answer because it's so
complicated, but it might be useful. Lots of changes need to be made to the
 building and the staff needs to be taught how to use the new technology
properly. It could cut plastic waste by a lot if recycling rates are raised and a
circular economy is supported, which means that plastics are used over and over
again.
Environmental impacts should also be examined, with appropriate controls in
place to manage the air pollutants produced during the pyrolysis process. In
addition, the studies offer suggestions for how policies should be interpreted
and how to manage pyrolysis oil facilities and products better. These suggestions
include identifying areas for ongoing improvement in the management of
pyrolysis facilities and maximizing the quality of the products, monitoring and
controlling air pollutants to minimize environmental impact, and informing
advanced waste recycling policies (Thiounn et al., 2020)
4.2 Biodegradable plastic use
Finding and moving to other materials can cost a little money up front when you
switch to biodegradable plastics. Setting up the right infrastructure for trash
disposal and composting is important for this plan to work, even though lower
trash disposal fees might be able to cover these costs. To encourage proper
disposal methods, its application calls for changes in where materials come from
and maybe even how people behave. Two important factors that show how well
biodegradable polymers work at reducing plastic pollution are the rates at which
they break down and the number of composting sites that are available (Alagha
et al., 2022). But problems with partial biodegradation and the possible creation
of microplastics still exist. This means that more research is needed to make
materials that don't harm the environment.
The degradation process of biodegradable plastics is complicated by variables
such as composition, temperature, and humidity. For implementation to be
successful, materials must be chosen with suitable rates of biodegradation that
are compatible with Qatar's climate and waste management system. In addition,
adequate composting facilities are necessary to guarantee that biodegradable
polymers completely decompose. The environmental benefits of these materials
could be compromised if there is insufficient infrastructure and they end up in
landfills. Thus, it is essential to invest in composting facilities and educate the
public on appropriate disposal techniques. Nevertheless, even if biodegradable
polymers are biodegradable, there is still a chance that microplastics will form
when the plastic breaks down. Marine life and ecosystems are still at risk
because of this. Therefore, to effectively reduce this risk, research efforts need
to concentrate on decreasing the formation of microplastics.
4.3 Install Waterway Filters to Trap Plastic Waste
 Setting up and maintaining canal filters that are meant to catch plastic trash
costs a moderate to high amount of money. These filters are good at keeping
plastic out of the water, but they don't clean up the pollution that's already
there. This means that more steps need to be taken to treat and get rid of waste
(Flury & Narayan, 2021). Two difficult parts of the execution process are finding
the right places to put filters and keeping track of filter systems. However,
consistent work is needed to make sure that this solution will work in the long
run. This includes regular maintenance and getting rid of the collected plastic
trash in the right way to keep the environment from getting worse.
By collecting plastic debris before it enters rivers, lakes, and the ocean, pathway
filtration systems play a crucial role in the fight against plastic pollution and
protect aquatic ecosystems. This study explores how these systems are installed
and operate, concentrating on Pan et al.'s (2022) new integrated magic filter.
The magic filter is made of waste plastic shavings, loofah, and waste iron
shavings that are produced during the processing of plastic, crops, and steel. It is
intended to operate at peak efficiency. Phosphorus removal was enhanced by
micro-electrolysis of waste iron shavings, while simultaneous removal of
nitrogen and phosphorus was made possible by microorganisms adhered to the
filler surfaces. Moreover, the filled fillers reduced effluent SS by acting as
efficient physical filters.
4.4 Develop Plastic-to-Fuel Conversion Methods
Plastic pollution could be fixed by turning trashed plastic into fuel that can be
used. This would cut down on the amount of plastic that ends up in dumps or
the environment. But there are some important things that need to be looked
into more thoroughly. To begin, a lot of money needs to be spent on research
projects and infrastructure upgrades because putting this technology to use
requires a lot of research and development (Moshood et al., 2022). It is
important to do a full analysis of whether or not the idea will work and how
much it will cost compared to other choices. Second, concerns have been raised
about the waste that might be caused by the conversion process itself. This
shows how important it is to strictly follow environmental laws (Sheavly &
Register, 2007). Lastly, to find out if turning plastic into fuel is sustainable, a full
life-cycle assessment is needed to look at how the process affects the earth over
its whole lifetime. This includes factors like energy use and greenhouse gas
emissions.
To find ways to turn plastic into petrol, a lot of money has to be spent up front
on research and development to look into and improve the technology. The
costs of doing business could be high, depending on how well the chosen way of
 conversion works. Putting this solution into action is very hard, and for it to be
widely used, it needs a lot of big technological improvements and infrastructure
building. Using this method might help cut down on plastic waste, but how well
it works and how it impacts the world will determine how well it works. To make
sure that the conversion process is sustainable in the long term, things like
energy use and air pollution emissions must be carefully thought out, and the
process must be constantly monitored and evaluated in terms of its
environmental effect (Shen et al., 2020).
5. Recommendation
After carefully looking at several options, we think that biodegradable plastic should be
the first thing that is used to reduce the damage that single-use plastic does to the
marine environment in Qatar. Biodegradable plastics are one way to help ecosystems
and sea life deal with the damage that plastic trash does. Biodegradable plastics break
down faster than regular plastics, so they don't build up in dumps and rivers as quickly.
This lowers the risk of pollution. It is very important to make sure that these materials'
rates of biodegradation work with Qatar's climate and waste handling systems. Also,
there must be enough composting tools available to allow for complete breakdown.
Also, it's important to try to cut down on the microplastics that are made when things
break down.
In conclusion, using biodegradable plastics is a preventative way to protect Qatar's
marine ecosystems from the damage that single-use plastics cause through pollution. By
switching to eco-friendly products and spending money on garbage management
infrastructure, Qatar can reduce its plastic waste and help protect marine life.
Biodegradable plastics must be a top priority for people from a wide range of businesses
as part of a larger plan to protect Qatar's valuable marine resources for future
generations and support environmental sustainability.
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