Dubai: Grease and oil waste generated by hotels and restaurants must be collected by authorised companies and finally reach the Alserkal Envirol Grease Trap Waste Recycling Plant in Al Aweer, the Dubai Municipality said.
The civic body has found serious violations in the disposal of grease waste generated by restaurants and hotels. More than two-thirds (66 per cent) of the total waste oils and grease generated in Dubai does not reach the Al Aweer plant, the municipality has found. Most of it flows untreated into sewage lines, frequently blocking sewers and causing other environmental hazards.
Unauthorised disposal
In many cases, the waste mixes with sewerage in treatment plants or is dumped in unauthorised places, causing serious environmental hazards. It can even contaminate the water supply if not properly handled.
Taking serious note of these violations, the municipality has issued regulations for ensuring that grease is cleaned, collected and delivered to Alserkal Envirol Grease Trap Waste Recycling Plant in Al Aweer. It has asked the grease trap cleaning companies to use the Envirol Plant Coupon, issued by Envirol, and install the GPS tracking device to locate tankers that carry the waste.
Fines and measures
Failure to comply with the regulations could result in fines and even in non-renewal of licences of these companies.
"Every day at least 25,000 to 30,000 gallons of grease is produced and the plant is getting less than 10,000 gallons," said Talib Abdul Kareem Julfar, director of the municipality's Drainage and Irrigation Department.
"Many companies who clean it are mixing it with sewage, due to which we are facing problems in the sewage plant. Some are also dumping it and all this is causing environmental hazards. The grease waste should go to the grease treatment plant and sewage should go to the sewage treatment plant."
