ID :
122401
Sun, 05/16/2010 - 15:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/122401
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UAE intensifies fight against pollution
Abu Dhabi, May 16, 2010 (WAM)- The emirate will become the first in the UAE to comply with a federal mandate requiring all bags and packaging materials in the country to be made of biodegradable materials by 2013 according to a report in "Khaleej Times."
Factories and commercial outlets found violating the local decree face hefty fines of as much as Dh50,000, reflecting Ajman’s strong commitment to raising its environmental standards and echoing a growing national movement towards more efficient waste management strategies.
The UAE is one of the world’s most prolific producers of waste. Abu Dhabi’s average annual per capita household waste stands at 730 kg, with Dubai following closely at 725 kg. The figures are almost 30 per cent more than the annual average posted by member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Uncontrolled waste has clearly become a serious threat to the safety and well-being of the country’s residents and its environment, and local governments are responding by introducing their own unique programs.
“It can be difficult to maintain a balance between progress and environmental responsibility. The Middle East does not want to sacrifice natural wealth in favour of economic gain and is now very active in exploring solutions to environmental issues such as incremental waste. The key to adopting a winning strategy on waste is to promote region-wide, focused dialogues to determine the full extent of environmental threats and the best ways to handle them,” said Eng. Hassan Makki, Director of Waste management Department at Dubai Municipality.
Sharjah became the first emirate to open a plant dedicated to the recycling of construction waste in 2007. The facility now processes 2,000 tonnes of construction and demolition materials a day and converts these into high-quality reusable raw building components.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi is already in the second phase of installing a network of 20 cubic metre containers in 115 locations that will form an underground electro-hydraulic waste collection system by July 2010.
Dubai has likewise seen its fair share of unique waste management-related initiatives. Last year, the emirate built the Middle East’s largest medical waste treatment plant.
More recently, a Dubai-based company launched the UAE’s first 100 per cent biodegradable disposable plates, which are made from fallen betel nut palms and decompose naturally within two months.
The Green Paper project launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development (MBRCLD) trades used newspapers for special coupons that can be used by bearers to spend in shops and entertainment venues.
Last year, Dubai took the UAE’s fight against waste to the regional level by hosting the first Middle East Waste Summit (MEWS).
Developed by the Dubai Municipality, the landmark exhibition and conference welcomed 2,691 industry professionals from 53 countries. This year’s edition will gather over 80 expert speakers to both lead and join sessions on vital waste management topics such as climate change, waste avoidance and resource management; policy, regulation and enforcement; and construction waste among many others.
Eng. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality will officially open the conference with a keynote speech followed by addresses from the German Association for Waste Management, the United Nations Environment Programme and Hong Kong based Environmental Resources Management. More of such high-profile forums are needed to underpin unified efforts to confront the region’s waste management problems.
The Gulf alone produced over 22.2 million tons of municipal solid waste and 4.6 million tons of industrial solid waste in 2009, underscoring the urgency of deploying more efficient waste management strategies.
“The region will have to work more closely together to solve its most pressing environmental concerns. There are many highly effective programmes being implemented by countries such as the UAE which can be adopted by other Arab countries with similar success. Enhanced government-industry collaboration is also vital to the development of long-term approaches to waste and other ecologically-harmful problems,” said Makki.
Philip Shabecoff, the former chief environmental correspondent for The New York Times, once reflected that ‘The bulldozer and not the atomic bomb may turn out to be the most destructive invention of the 20th century.’ While prosperity is one of mankind’s greatest aspirations, it should never be pursued at the cost of the environment. Through gatherings such as the Middle East Waste Summit, the Arab World will continue to advocate an eco-friendly approach to progress and wage its tireless war against waste and other environmental menaces.
Factories and commercial outlets found violating the local decree face hefty fines of as much as Dh50,000, reflecting Ajman’s strong commitment to raising its environmental standards and echoing a growing national movement towards more efficient waste management strategies.
The UAE is one of the world’s most prolific producers of waste. Abu Dhabi’s average annual per capita household waste stands at 730 kg, with Dubai following closely at 725 kg. The figures are almost 30 per cent more than the annual average posted by member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Uncontrolled waste has clearly become a serious threat to the safety and well-being of the country’s residents and its environment, and local governments are responding by introducing their own unique programs.
“It can be difficult to maintain a balance between progress and environmental responsibility. The Middle East does not want to sacrifice natural wealth in favour of economic gain and is now very active in exploring solutions to environmental issues such as incremental waste. The key to adopting a winning strategy on waste is to promote region-wide, focused dialogues to determine the full extent of environmental threats and the best ways to handle them,” said Eng. Hassan Makki, Director of Waste management Department at Dubai Municipality.
Sharjah became the first emirate to open a plant dedicated to the recycling of construction waste in 2007. The facility now processes 2,000 tonnes of construction and demolition materials a day and converts these into high-quality reusable raw building components.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi is already in the second phase of installing a network of 20 cubic metre containers in 115 locations that will form an underground electro-hydraulic waste collection system by July 2010.
Dubai has likewise seen its fair share of unique waste management-related initiatives. Last year, the emirate built the Middle East’s largest medical waste treatment plant.
More recently, a Dubai-based company launched the UAE’s first 100 per cent biodegradable disposable plates, which are made from fallen betel nut palms and decompose naturally within two months.
The Green Paper project launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development (MBRCLD) trades used newspapers for special coupons that can be used by bearers to spend in shops and entertainment venues.
Last year, Dubai took the UAE’s fight against waste to the regional level by hosting the first Middle East Waste Summit (MEWS).
Developed by the Dubai Municipality, the landmark exhibition and conference welcomed 2,691 industry professionals from 53 countries. This year’s edition will gather over 80 expert speakers to both lead and join sessions on vital waste management topics such as climate change, waste avoidance and resource management; policy, regulation and enforcement; and construction waste among many others.
Eng. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality will officially open the conference with a keynote speech followed by addresses from the German Association for Waste Management, the United Nations Environment Programme and Hong Kong based Environmental Resources Management. More of such high-profile forums are needed to underpin unified efforts to confront the region’s waste management problems.
The Gulf alone produced over 22.2 million tons of municipal solid waste and 4.6 million tons of industrial solid waste in 2009, underscoring the urgency of deploying more efficient waste management strategies.
“The region will have to work more closely together to solve its most pressing environmental concerns. There are many highly effective programmes being implemented by countries such as the UAE which can be adopted by other Arab countries with similar success. Enhanced government-industry collaboration is also vital to the development of long-term approaches to waste and other ecologically-harmful problems,” said Makki.
Philip Shabecoff, the former chief environmental correspondent for The New York Times, once reflected that ‘The bulldozer and not the atomic bomb may turn out to be the most destructive invention of the 20th century.’ While prosperity is one of mankind’s greatest aspirations, it should never be pursued at the cost of the environment. Through gatherings such as the Middle East Waste Summit, the Arab World will continue to advocate an eco-friendly approach to progress and wage its tireless war against waste and other environmental menaces.
