Dubai Municipality unveils ‘Circle Dubai’ in bid for zero-waste future at Asia-Pacific Cities Summit

Dubai has taken a major stride in its environmental agenda by launching Circle Dubai, a pioneering sustainability initiative with the powerful slogan: ‘Reduce...Reuse...Recycle...Together we make a difference.’

The program was formally introduced during the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum (APCS), which Dubai hosted from October 27 to 29. The launch event was attended by global city leaders, policymakers, and sustainability experts, underscoring the initiative's international significance.

Circle Dubai is designed to revolutionize waste management attitudes and systems across the emirate. It employs innovation, smart technological solutions, and a strong emphasis on community participation to solidify Dubai’s status as a worldwide exemplar for integrated waste management and sustainability.

The path to a landfill-free city

This new initiative is a cornerstone of the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2041. Its primary goal is ambitious: to achieve a 100 per cent diversion of waste from landfills, with at least 56 per cent of that waste being recycled. By reinforcing circular and green economy principles, Circle Dubai is meant to significantly reduce waste generation and enhance recycling practices, directly supporting the city’s broader commitments to climate action.

The project outlines a comprehensive plan stretching beyond the 2041 target, which involves:

• Source reduction: Minimizing waste created in the first place.

• Source sorting: Achieving 100% waste separation at the source across residential areas.

• Modernizing operations: Upgrading waste collection, transport, recycling, and treatment processes to boost resource recovery efficiency.

Education and community mobilization

To drive this cultural shift, the municipality has developed one of the region’s most advanced digital education platforms dedicated to sustainability training. This platform offers tailored educational content, complete with interactive simulations and smart assessment tools, to connect knowledge with practical action.

In a parallel effort, the Dubai Sustainability Ambassadors programme will empower trained community representatives to lead local engagement. This initiative, run in collaboration with the Furjan Dubai Initiative, will mobilize residents in neighbourhoods to champion zero-waste practices through local activities and challenges.