Dubai: Waste generation typically falls by around 10 to 15 per cent during summer in Dubai as many residents are on leave abroad, a waste collecting company has said.
Dulsco Waste Management Solutions, a major collector of waste in Dubai, said municipal solid waste (MSD), which includes household waste, drops in July and August.
Dubai generates an average of around 8,000 tonnes of waste per day, with each resident daily contributing about 2.7kg of trash, Dubai Municipality figures show.
S. Madhumohan, director, Waste Management Services, Dulsco, said: “In Dubai, the summer — July and August — is a period when the waste generation comes down since many of the residents travel back to their home countries on vacation. We have noticed that the generation of MSW during summer months reduces by 10 to 15 per cent.
“The generation of plastics and cans increases during this period due to the excessive heat and more use of drinks, but due to the reduction in the number of residents, it does not show as an increased percentage in generation.”
Special precautions
Madhumohan advised residents who have gardens or greenery at home to take special precautions regarding waste foliage during summer.
“During this period, a lot of leaves fall from trees. Residents also tend to cut branches. They are expected to collect all these and store them close to the recycling bins and coordinate with our bulky waste disposal crew who will ensure its proper disposal. If this is not done, and they throw it around the bins, it would be a problem — and will invite fines too,” he explained.
Disposing of branches or discarded foliage in undesignated places in punishable by a Dh1,000 fine. Also not allowed is setting fire to it — or to any other kind of waste — in order to dispose of it. Throwing such waste around the regular waste bins is not allowed. Dubai Municipality also has a bulk waste collection service that handles such requests. It can be reached on 800 900.
Madhumohan stressed that dry waste, such as dried leaves, should be kept away from any source of a potential fire.
Proper waste disposal at home ensures that bad smells, disease, pests and fines are kept at bay, he added. Most residential towers put up notices advising tenants to follow garbage disposal rules. However, many residents fail to comply.
“I was in Al Karama and noticed there was discarded furniture lying around the bins. When authorities and companies offer a service to pick up such items, residents should make use of them,” said Ali Rashid, 37, an Arab resident.
Home waste
In most cases, household trash is mostly food waste, which gets sent to the landfill.
Madhumohan said: “Home waste primarily would involve food and organic wastes and packing materials, besides other hazardous materials like expired medicines, batteries, cartridges, etc. So the advice is not to waste food, thus reducing food waste. Have proper source segregation of plastics, paper, and cans, glass, etc, so that it can be recycled and added back to the circular economy.”
My City, My Environment
Helping residents segregate waste at source (at home) is Dubai Municipality’s ‘My City, My Environment’ initiative, which is rolling out recycling bins at their doorstep. The plan is to add 10 new residential areas to the programme each year until door-to-door recycling becomes a norm citywide.
Residents of Safa 1, Safa 2, and Jumeirah 1, 2 and 3 already have been supplied with the recycling bins, which are picked up thrice weekly.
Madhumohan pointed out that residents should ensure “hazardous wastes like medicines, batteries are collected separately, and avoid mixing this with the MSW and dispose of these at specified areas”.
Dubai Municipality, in partnership with Averda waste management company, has also rolled out special “anti-scavenger” bins for collection of electronic waste, such as discarded mobile phones, laptops, chargers, trimmers, etc.
Dos and don’ts
•Use reusable napkins instead of paper napkins that are thrown away after every use.
•Avoid pouring oils and thick liquids in the sink; these liquids can accumulate in sewage systems and form a solid mass, which leads to problems in infrastructure and drainage pipes.
•Oily liquids can be recycled or disposed of at designated centres, or you can contact Dubai Municipality (on 800900) to assist you with the disposal of such liquids.
•Use glass cups and reusable dishes instead of plastic or Styrofoam plate and cups. This will help decrease the amount of waste produced each day.
•On your way to work, you can take your own coffee mugs to reuse at the coffee shop or office.
•Keep a garbage bag in the car and then dispose of it at designated areas. Do not throw garbage out of the window even if no one is watching.
Reduce paper consumption by reading and saving documents electronically. If you need to use paper, you can use both sides of the paper for both printing and writing. Use 100 per cent environmentally friendly paper that is less harmful to our ecosystem.
•Always allocate a paper box in the office or near the printer/scanner to contain scrap paper that could be reused or recycled.
•Use the cardboard boxes at home for storage instead of disposing it.
•Proper maintenance of electronic and electrical appliances can reduce waste of non-recyclable items.
Source: My City, My Environment/Dubai Municipality