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Material Flow Analysis of Plastic Waste in Qatar: Focusing on the Marine Environment
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This study analyzed the flow of plastic waste in Qatar using material flow analysis, with a focus on plastic entering the marine environment. It maps plastic waste generation, management pathways, and leakage to the ocean, providing data for a region where such information is limited.
As the population continues to grow, the generation of waste and specifically plastic waste, has also increased significantly in the past decades both globally and regionally. However, little attention has been directed to this problem in the region. This study aims to delineate and map the status of the plastic waste problem in Qatar with a focus on the plastic inflow to the marine environment. A generic material flow diagram was built using a material flow analysis software named STAN, to depict the flow of the plastic waste. The study focuses on the plastic waste in the marine environment, depicting the different types, sizes and shapes of plastic particles, and the recovery and recycling efforts that have been made, in order to reduce plastic waste and minimize its risk on the environment.
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Material flow analysis of plastic waste in the gulf co-operation countries (GCC) and the Arabian gulf: Focusing on Qatar
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Researchers mapped how much plastic waste is produced and recycled across Gulf countries, finding that the region generates nearly 12 million metric tons of plastic yearly, but only about 23% gets recycled, much of the rest likely ends up polluting the Arabian Gulf's waters. This matters because plastic waste breaks down into microplastics that contaminate seafood and marine ecosystems, posing potential health risks to people who eat fish and seafood from these waters; notably, Qatar is doing better than its neighbors, recycling about 40% of its plastic waste.
Unwanted pathways : a material flow analysis of plastics from production to the ocean
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This material flow analysis traced the pathways by which plastics move from production through use and into the ocean, identifying the routes that lead to microplastic accumulation in marine environments. The study highlights gaps in the research beyond ocean gyre surveys and calls for better tracking of land-to-sea plastic flows.
Prevalence of microplastics in the marine waters of Qatar
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This study provided the first documented evidence of microplastics in the marine waters of Qatar's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Arabian Gulf, establishing baseline contamination data for a region that had lacked environmental plastic monitoring. The finding that microplastics are present even in the semi-enclosed Arabian Gulf expands the known geographic range of ocean plastic contamination.
Managing plastic pollution: the role and impact of material flow analysis
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This review examines how material flow analysis (MFA) can systematically track plastic flows, stocks, and emissions across entire life cycles—from production through disposal—to quantify where plastics fragment into microplastics and nanoplastics. MFA provides the evidence base policymakers need to prioritize interventions at the stages most responsible for releasing persistent plastic particles into ecosystems and food chains.
Investigation of Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in Qatar's Coastal Environment
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Researchers investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics along Qatar's coastline, finding plastic particles across multiple locations and assessing seasonal variation — contributing to a regional baseline for microplastic contamination in Middle Eastern coastal waters.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.