Dubai: Fines will be slapped on commercial entities that fail to segregate waste from September 4, Dubai government announced Tuesday as the emirate looks for ways to deal with its mounting garbage problem.
The move is part of a wide-ranging waste minimisation scheme Dubai Municipality has adopted to curb the amount of solid waste that ends up in landfills and boost waste recycling.
The warning, contained in a circular, applies to industrial facilities, shopping centres and commercial towers which are now mandated to separate general waste from recyclable materials.
Solid materials
"Non-compliance with mentioned directives in this circular may lead to the imposition of penalties as well as legal and administrative procedures, based on Local Order No 11 of 2003," the Waste Management Department of Dubai Municipality said in the statement.
The circular mandates the separation of solid materials from public waste by industrial-commercial entities following waste management guidelines the city has adopted.
Abdul Majeed Saifaie, Director of Waste Management Department, has said the policy of clean production, separation of solid waste and its re-use is key to reduce waste and pollution.
Waste-sorting at the source and its recycling "have a significant impact in reducing the amount of general waste transferred to the disposal sites", he said.
A higher tariff for dumping trash in municipal landfills is also expected as part of the waste-reduction measures.
Fee hike
"In Dubai, it [the landfill tipping fee] is currently Dh10 per truck. But with our costs going up and with new landfill standards being followed, new fees will be introduced soon," Saifaie said, but declined to give figures of the proposed new tariff.
"The fees will be reasonable," he said, adding new charges will be announced after being cleared by higher authorities. Sharjah charges Dh50 per tonne; Abu Dhabi charges Dh225 per tonne.
In Europe landfill tipping fees average €60 or Dh286 (per tonne)
"This is not just about the new charges — it is also about reducing waste that goes into the landfills," Saifaie said.
Materials to be separated from other wastes:
- Plastic
- Metal cans
- Glass
- Paper
- Wood
