Balbir Seimar
Chief WASUP (World Against Single Use Plastic)
Community Engagement & Development Ambassador
I am excited to be part of the WMCA Community Environment Network - Advisory Group, to make a difference to the environment and the legacy to be enjoyed by future generations.
I have to declare, with humility and resolve, because, for many years, I contributed - unintentionally - to the very environmental challenges we now face.
It all began back in 1983 when disposable paper cups, plates and dinnerware became readily available. What joy I felt at the time! After hosting a party or dinner, I could simply gather everything, toss it into the black bin, and let the refuse collection take care of it. No dishwashing. No effort. Just relaxation—and I watched others do the same, quietly complicit in the convenience.
Fast forward to today, and I see the devastation of that ease. Landfills overflowing. Earth choking under the waste. It was through my involvement with Professor Abdul Rashid Gatrad, OBE—the founder of WASUP (World Against Single Use Plastic) and CEO of MIAT—that a deeper clarity came to me.
Professor Gatrad, a pioneering paediatrician and environmental advocate, launched WASUP over six years ago and has since expanded it to more than fifty countries. He champions the principles of Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and speaks globally—including before UNESCO—about the critical intersections of plastic waste, climate change, and public health.
Witnessing rubbish up close during litter‑picking and canal‑cleaning efforts with WASUP, I finally understood: every small change we make in our daily lives adds to the puzzle that helps our planet breathe again.
That realization prompted me to act: organizing litter picks, educating children in schools, rescuing surplus food headed for landfills. Each step a piece of repair.
Advisory Group Role - Community Representative
Balbir will support the Network to develop strong links within communities in order to ensure the Network delivers the right type of support to community groups and will aid in growing the Networks membership.
