Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has launched the online National Waste Database, which compiles and analyses data on waste generated across the country.
Yousuf Al Ahmad Al Raisi, director of the ministry’s Waste Management Department, said: “The success of any integrated waste management programme depends on the availability of valid waste data. Previously, the ministry faced the challenge of timely collection and accuracy of such data, and therefore suggested establishing a database for waste produced in the country at the annual meeting of the UAE Government in 2017.”
He said the database, which connects relevant authorities in each emirate with the ministry’s waste management department, is a bilingual system that comprises data on hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
Hazardous waste covers dangerous industrial, medical, animal, and other waste; while non-hazardous waste includes waste resulting from construction, industrial operations, agriculture and sewage water treatment, as well as solid municipal and animal waste that is not considered dangerous.
The system creates monthly and yearly dynamic reports and graphs on the amount of waste, treatment methods used, and the percentage of treated waste in each emirate.
Furthermore, it benchmarks the output against relevant national indicators, strategic indicators, and global waste competitiveness indicators. The reports serve as valuable tools that provide the entities concerned with an informed view of the status and enable them to devise adequate improvement plans.
Al Raisi added: “The UAE Vision 2021 aims to implement sustainable practices across diverse industries. In line with this priority, effective waste management can considerably improve the sustainability of the country’s environment and economy.”
