Dubai: A total of 1,500kg of aluminium cans were collected during the 25th Cycle of the Can Collection Day by Dubai-based Emirates Environmental Group (EEG). Around 200 entities — including companies, hotels, academic institutions and families — have participated in the event that helped reduce 23 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and save 341 million thermal units of energy as well as 36 cubic metres of landfill space, according to EEG.
Gulf News is the media partner of this Can Collection Campaign.
Habiba Al Mar’ashi, chairperson of EEG, said: “Since the initiation of the Can Collection Campaign in 1997 as the first community-based annual recycling programme to be launched in the UAE, EEG has managed to collect 344,216kg of aluminium cans, which has resulted in several environmental benefits such as the mitigation of 5,167 metric tonnes of CO2, saving 8,356 cubic metres of landfill space and energy conservation of 78,338 million BTU.
“In celebrating the silver jubilee of this national programme, we express our gratitude to the UAE society and appreciate the hard work, dedication and commitment that have resulted in the massive growth of this programme over the years — both in terms of number of participants and the quantities collected,” she added.
Perfect recyclable material
According to EEG, “most people don’t realise that aluminium is a perfect recyclable material. Out of the most common recyclable materials that clog our landfills, such as glass, paper, metals, plastics, aluminium is the only material that’s endlessly and 100 per cent recyclable”.
“In fact, it takes 95 per cent less energy to recycle aluminium cans than extracting aluminium from its bauxite ore. Every year, more than 500 million aluminium beverage cans are sold in the UAE, but 93 per cent of these cans end up in the landfills, which has a detrimental impact on the environment,” EEG noted.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Aluminium has a key role to play in the development of a more sustainable society because it is light, strong and infinitely recyclable. In fact, about 75 per cent of all the aluminium ever made is still in use today. Putting aluminium in landfill is a real waste of this important material for human progress. We are pleased to support EEG in its work to highlight what each of us can do to recycle aluminium cans.”
Al Mar’ashi also thanked Dubai Municipality and Dubai Tourism for supporting the programme and expressed gratitude to Gulf News for supporting the campaign since its inception.
Recycling: Some key facts
— Aluminium is a permanently available resource. It is 100 per cent recyclable; carbon savings increase every time it undergoes recycling.
— 95 per cent energy is saved by recycling aluminium instead of producing it from raw materials. Also, 97 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced.
— Recycling one tonne of aluminium saves nine tonnes of CO2 emissions and four tonnes of bauxite. Remember: One tonne of CO2 is equivalent to driving a vehicle for 4,500km.
— Making aluminium cans from recycled metal is 20 times more energy-efficient than using primary material. The can recycled today that will pass through the recycling process can come as a brand-new can after 60 days.
