Sharjah: Sharjah is the first emirate in the UAE to launch a residential recycling programme to promote waste segregation, with the aim of ultimately diverting more waste from the landfill to be recycled. The latest statistics show that the diversion rate of waste to landfill increased to approximately 53 per cent in 2012 and approximately 62 per cent in 2013. So far it has reached 67 per cent in 2014.
Launched in 2012 by Bee’ah, the environmental company, the programme started the practice of recycling among residents through a variety of recycling collection facilities.
It focused on encouraging residents to recycle their mixed dry recyclables such as paper, plastic and cans while disposing of remaining general waste down existing garbage chutes, explained Marwan Al Shamsi, UAE Director of Collections and Cleansing Business in Bee’ah.
The programme started in Al Shahba area, due to its variety of commercial and residential buildings as well as schools and mosques, and the demographic diversity of its residents. Soon after, the campaign continued its roll out in the Khezammia area followed by Halwan, gradually covering the full city of Sharjah.
Public awareness
The move brought about new facilities, which include the installation of separate garbage chutes for different materials and the distribution of recycling bins.
“Public awareness and recycling training in all homes in the covered areas has been rolled out including an extensive media campaign titled ‘Separate, it’s already a habit’ in all major newspapers and radio stations,” Al Shamsi said.
The campaign addresses residents by showing them that ‘separating’ is already a part of their day-to-day lives. It provides them with images of people separating whites from coloured clothes, salt and pepper, and other items. “Home-owners have also been provided with a starter kit consisting of a flyer, two boxes of waste bags (blue and green bin liners) to help with the discipline of recycling while making separating their waste easy,” said Al Shamsi.
The company has also established more than 1,700 three-stream recycling touch-points for residents in Sharjah to encourage the community to separate their recyclable waste into three streams: paper, plastics and cans and general waste.
The move also extends to offices in the city. Tandeef, a division of Bee’ah, has distributed office recycling blue bins and totes to over 4,500 offices throughout Sharjah.
Future plans
The emirate of Sharjah is focusing heavily on recycling waste as it aims to achieve zero waste to landfill, in line with the vision of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, for Sharjah to be the leading environmental city in the Middle East, Al Shamsi said.
Bee’ah’s future plans include achieving the goal of Sharjah becoming the first Arab city to divert 100 per cent of its waste from landfill, and one of the first cities globally to do so.
“By 2015 the largest portion of waste collected will be recycled, followed by composted materials and, finally, transforming waste materials to energy,” he said.
The company has plans to develop the world’s largest waste-to-energy (WTE) gasification plant in Sharjah. Once operational the new plant will be capable of processing large quantities of waste annually, generating significant energy outputs to supply the emirate, he explained. “Converting waste to energy through gasification is an innovative and high-tech process known as the most eco-friendly way to convert waste,” said Al Shamsi. This method will provide a model for sustainable waste management, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, providing an important source of renewable energy.
