Dubai: Residents are no longer filling up the sidewalk with old washing machines, discarded refrigerators and old sofas as the civic body recorded a 27 per cent increase in demand for bulk waste disposal in the last two months.
“We launched the bulk waste disposal programme in February to encourage residents and fuelling stations on how to dispose of their waste properly,” Abdul Majeed Abdul Aziz Saifa’ie, director of Dubai Municipality’s Waste Management Department, told Gulf News on Tuesday. “During March, we received
697 requests to collect the waste from people’s homes.
“All the waste we collect from people’s homes is recycled, and all residents have to do is to call the municipality’s hotline number 800900. They will then be notified by SMS when their bulk waste can be collected by our trucks, which is a service we provide for free.”
The most common type of bulk waste from residential areas includes furniture and household appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines.
“Residents have had a tendency to throw such large waste outside their homes or on the streets near the municipality’s rubbish bins, and expect them to be collected and disposed,” said Saifaie. “But through our campaign, we want to change the perception of residents that such large wastage can be recycled in the appropriate and responsible manner.”
In the last two months, the municipality has sent out fliers and distributed pamphlets in villas across Dubai and dozens of petrol stations in a bid to encourage residents to adopt a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste in bulk.
“Dubai has achieved the status of a global city with a high position in many aspects of the international community,” Saifaie said.
The need to create awareness about the proper disposal of bulk waste was raised after furniture and household items continued to clutter up residential areas. Authorities at the civic body said they intend to raise the number of requests of such disposal services.
“Residents generally dump such items in the open, causing a health hazard and danger to the residents, such as in Muhaisnah 4 area,” said Aslam Doi, a Gulf News reader.
“This is not only a danger to the environment but could also be dangerous for children who might be tempted to play with such items.”
