Dubai: Shopping centres will soon be provided with municipality approved containers to segregate waste as part of the authority’s aim to promote recycling in the emirate.
“We have to intensify our efforts to promote the culture of recycling and reuse, and have many technologies to recycle things and reduce overall waste generation,” said Abdul Majeed Saifaie, director of Waste Management Department at Dubai Municipality.
“The segregation of waste should be done from its very origin to help in the collection and recycling procedures,” he asserted.
Currently more than 80 per cent of the waste that is generated goes to landfills. The civic body has plans to recycle 100 per cent of all waste by 2030.
He said the move to recycle waste has been implemented in line with the strategic vision of Dubai. It is aimed at reducing the quantity of waste and to provide a clean environment and pollution-free atmosphere.
Saifaie pointed out that the Municipality will start distributing recycling bins to shopping centres shortly and from February next year, the initiative will cover all the shopping centres in the emirate.
He said residents should also be encouraged to recycle as on an average each resident generates about 2.7 kilograms of waste, that adds up to almost 1,000 kilograms per person a year.
“A special team from the Waste Management Department of Dubai Municipality will carry out inspections to ensure the new directions are properly carried out and that all participants are adhering to the required standard,” he said.
Municipality officials also added that a manual was handed to shopping centres late last week to guide them through meeting the required standards of segregating waste, and that experts in recycling will also assist commercial establishments in producing useful materials from waste.
