'Flower power' helps transport Dubai's waste

Dubai: Flower power has come to Dubai's roads in the form of specially painted vehicles to carry waste.

The initiative by the municipality's Waste Management Department is part of a policy to develop and raise the level of performance and the overall impression of services provided by the department. It also keeps pace with urban development in the emirate accommodating the rapid changes taking place. The move is also part of a move to create innovative and developmental ideas to achieve strategic goals.

Positive impression

Hassan Makki, Director of the Waste Management Department, said that his department strives to achieve excellence and raise the level of satisfaction of services provided to the community in order to reach the strategic objective of achieving integrated waste management. "Through this initiative we have tried to enhance the general shape of the waste carriers and the means of new waste storage to develop the cleaning services provided in the emirate of Dubai. We want to highlight an aesthetic face of the emirate by decorating the vehicles with beautiful designs of flowers taken from the local nature that will create a positive impression about the public cleaning services. We have added an artistic touch to the stages of collection and storage of waste," he said adding that 20 vehicles had been decorated during the initiative.

"In order to enhance our services we have increased the fleet of waste containers in the emirate by purchasing 300 containers for the Gold Souq area. The containers were given colours that suit the nature of the region. The department has also purchased 17 containers with a pressing capacity of 10 cubic metres to serve the vegetable and fruit market area of Warsan, in addition to five containers with a pressing capacity of 20 cubic metres to serve other areas of the emirate," said Makki.

"This will raise our work efficiency and overall productivity and develop services to suit the strategy of sustainable development of the emirate. All of these have been given aesthetic enhancement by painting them with flowers from the local environment," he said.

Will decorating waste carrying vehicles with flowers help raise their level of performance? How do you think Dubai's Waste Management Department could improve their services?