Authorities last week revealed shocking figures about waste in Abu Dhabi. Fresh estimates reveal garbage generation will double over the next 25 years — thanks to a growing population.
The capital generated 12 million tonnes of waste in 2013, officials said, warning that this number will continue to grow in the coming years unless we act now. An ambitious master plan seeks to cut household waste by 85 per cent or 900 grammes per capita by 2021. This, however, will require a multi-disciplinary approach involving government entities, industries and communities.
Also, any battle against mountains of waste must be backed by stringent legislation — to decide what must be recycled and what can go to the landfills. Secondly, incentives must be considered to make recycling a lucrative business for the industry as this sector is both labour-intensive and requires serious investment. But the most difficult part is to convince people to segregate waste at home. This can be done by charging residents for waste collection, a proposal mooted in Dubai last month. Dubbed ‘pay-as-you-throw’ plan, many countries, including the United States, Canada and Japan follow this practice.
