Abu Dhabi: People have been urged to take responsibility for the waste they generate as the Eid Al Adha celebrations begin on Tuesday with gatherings at home and outdoor picnics,

The amount of waste increases sharply during Eid but people have been reminded to follow some simple steps to minimise littering at public places like parks and beaches.

A spokesperson of the Centre of Waste Management (CWM) in Abu Dhabi told Gulf News: “If you can make it sure that things you discarded at a public place are properly disposed of at a waste bin, it will help others like you to enjoy the place after you leave.

“Please don’t expect that everything will be cleaned by the cleaners deployed at the public places. If everyone takes the responsibility of the waste one generates, the public places will remain neat and tidy during the holidays.”

The amount of food being wasted during Eid is also a concern, the spokesperson said. “Everyone should do their best to minimise the food waste,” she said.

About 39 per cent of over 1.1 million tonnes of municipal waste annually generated in Abu Dhabi Emirate is organic material, mainly leftover food discarded by residents. This waste, which is the subject of an Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) campaign, also contributes to losing land to landfills, carbon emissions and climate change.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, one in every seven people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of five die daily from hunger.

The EAD said that while many food products are biodegradable, its non-consumption means that precious resources used in its cultivation and production are wasted, such as energy, water and materials used for its packaging. Carbon emissions resulting from the food’s transportation, storage and disposal also contribute to climate change.

The Centre of Waste Management–Abu Dhabi (CWM) has deployed additional staff members and equipment through extended working hours during the holidays for waste collection from slaughter houses, as well as the clean-up of residential and popular areas such as mosques, public parks and beaches.

CWM will oversee the disposal of construction debris and garbage from residential areas and the cleaning of pavements, public toilets and signboards, as well as graffiti on walls.

Dr Salem Al Kaabi, acting general manager of the centre, pointed out that the emirate has several tourist attractions that are busier during festive occasions.

“We call upon all residents to take ownership and join hands with us to showcase a spectacular emirate that we are proud of,” he said.