Daily Star - Ngo Collects Bottle Caps To Raise Funds For Wheelchairs

By Lucie Hennequin
Special to The Daily Star

BEIRUT: It’s a simple equation: plastic bottle caps equal wheelchairs. “It’s before anything a sustainable development project,” stressed Joy Tohmé, from Arc En Ciel, which is coordinating an effort to recycle plastic and support the disabled. On Thursday, Arc En Ciel organized its first “rolling caps” event, in the presence of Darwish Hobeika, head of the Civil Defense, at the organization’s headquarters in Tahwita.
“In April 2009, we launched a cap collecting program, to raise public awareness about sorting and recycling plastic,” Tohmé explained. Nine tons of plastic caps have been collected at Arc En Ciel centers, brought in by schools, companies, associations and individuals.
Stocked by the association, those little pieces of plastic are then sold to recycling companies.
“Every ton of caps gives us around $200, which permits us to build a wheelchair,” she explained at the event, which saw the Civil Defense receive the first two wheelchairs.
“Every time there’s an event, like a party or something, we go and collect caps,” said 22-year-old Charles, a student in physiotherapy and Civil Defense volunteer. “It’s environmentally friendly, plus we really need those wheel chairs.”
While Tohmé said the campaign was a part of a drive for sustainable development, but in practical terms, it also means that Arc En Ciel is also practicing environmental conservation.
To get its message out, the association avoids generating brochures or other items that could end up as waste. Instead, it’s using a Facebook page, “bouchons roulants,” and the help of the media.
Tohmé said that the campaign has other benefits, such as raising awareness about the disabled, and promoting local recycling plants, which leads to a decrease in Lebanese imports.
Arc En Ciel hopes its campaign will be boosted by the 146,000 tons of plastic waste produced in Lebanon every year – plastic that requires dozens or hundreds of years to decompose, depending on the item.
The Arc En Ciel center in Jisr al-Basha is open to receive caps every Thursday and Friday.