Plastic Rubbish Turned Into Rugs and Mats As Syrians Make a Living Amidst War Conflicts

Throughout the history of mankind, war has destroyed families and communities, leading to the disruption of society and the economy. Some of the negative effects of war include reducing access to clean water and food while bringing long-term physical and psychological damage to children and adults.

Finding Hope in the Rubbish

In the rebel-held country of Syria, recycling is rarely done to respond to environmental crises. Instead, it has become a lifeline for residents desperately looking for work. Despite the crisis they face in the war-torn region of northwest Syria, the residents found hope by turning plastic scraps into rugs and mats as their source of living.

Over 500,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Syria, while half of the country's population before the war has been forced to leave their homes since the war broke out in 2011. Most of them depend on aid from local and international organizations. Meanwhile, four million people live in regions controlled by jihadists and Turkish-reliant groups in the north and northwest regions of the country.

Adults and children sift through piles of rubbish, looking for plastics they can sell to recyclers. Without thinking twice about the smell, insects, and diseases, they rummage for scraps which will later be transformed into floor rugs and other useful items. Some workers are concerned that trash-picking children might risk acquiring cholera or chronic illnesses from working at rubbish dumps.

Workers in a large scrapyard beside agricultural fields sort plastic waste according to color. Recycling facilities then buy the scraps collected by trucks and children.

After the plastic waste is cut up and crushed into smaller pieces, they are washed and melted into plastic pellets.

The pellets are processed in another factory to make brightly colored plastic threads used in weaving mats and rugs. The weaving machines can make large mats with geometric patterns or striking red plastic thread. The mats are in demand in areas where the displaced residents live in tents or improvised dwellings.

In Hezreh village in the province of Idlib, adults and children who make a living rummaging for plastic earn $7 to $10 a week. Meanwhile, the mats from recycled plastics are sold at $5 to $15 each. Additionally, traditional rugs with Persian designs cost around $100.

Increased demand for plastic mats is observed during summer because of their ability to retain less heat. In winter, the mats can still be used and are sold for a cheaper price.

The Effects of the Syrian War

The full-scale war in Syria started from a peaceful uprising against their President Bashar al-Assad 12 years ago. Demonstrations started in Deraa, where the protesters demanded the president's resignation. The unrest escalated when the government responded with deadly force, leading to a civil war.

According to a UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the actual toll from the war is estimated to be 613,400. Meanwhile, another monitoring group called the Violations Documentation Center has reported 240 215 war-related deaths as of March 2023.

For 12 years, the Syrian people have experienced immense suffering due to the war. Almost 7 million residents were displaced internally with limited access to basic needs. Another 6 million people became refugees abroad, needing humanitarian assistance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people had restricted access to medical services because half of the hospitals were not functional. The important infrastructures across Syria remain in ruins, while much of the country's cultural heritage has been destroyed. Experts believe the war will not likely end anytime soon, as a political solution is required to end the conflicts.

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