Integrated approach to waste management

The daily per capita solid waste increased from 1.01 kilograms per person in 1985 to 1.75 kilograms in 2001, showing a growth of 73 per cent, according to a study by Dubai Municipality.
Also, the total solid waste increased by 76 per cent to reach 1.1 million tonnes in 2001 compared with 1985 figures.

The increase of waste and the method of clearance are major concerns for the international community as these waste disposal methods should not harm the environment.

Towards this end, the municipality has developed the waste disposal process from manual collection of trash in the 1950s to automated cars in the 1970s, and from merely getting rid of this waste to recycling it in the 1990s.

It has actually rejuvenated its approach by shifting from the concept of clearing waste to that of integrated solid waste management, which is environment-friendly.

Preserving the environment has been a priority for Dubai Municipality as the study shows. This is clear in the municipality's approach towards other types of waste.

Accordingly, the municipality initiated a project in 1999 to treat industrial waste, which has increased dramatically with the development of the industrial sector.

In three years, the amount of processed industrial waste increased by 53 per cent to reach 32,000 tonnes in 2001.

Moreover, having found that the best way to get rid of trash and infectious medical waste is to burn these, the municipality installed an environment-friendly medical waste incinerator in 2001.

It has been using the same approach to deal with liquid waste having established a liquid waste treatment plant in 1971 and another plant to treat sewage water in 1985.

The treatment of sewage water is done in three phases - mechanical and biological treatment followed by filtration and sterilisation.

These phases have led to quality water with a high degree of purity that has surpassed the standards approved internationally.

As a result, about 180,000 cubic metres of treated water was used in the irrigation of 3.9 million square metres of green areas, 2.1 million trees, 25,794 palm trees and 216,868 metres of plants used in fencing.

While treated water in some regions in the world has caused outbreaks because of impurity, in Dubai it has been a real success story as this water has neither germs that harm plants nor chemicals that pollute the environment.

In fact, isolating oil, paints and other industrial waste prior to treating the water has helped in this respect.

Moreover, treated water has helped preserve wells and combat deforestation. The plant also produces organic fertilisers, which have helped to improve the soil and increase cultivated areas.

This, in turn, has led to reducing the dust in the air, from 180 micrograms per cubic metre in 1996 to 150 micrograms per cubic metre in 2001.

Dubai has benefited economically from these plants since the methane produced through the processing of the waste has been used as fuel to operate these plants. Also, in 2001, the municipality saved Dh37.7 million, which is the cost of producing treated water.

In addition, a staggering Dh1.8 million spent annually on organic fertilisers and Dh1.3 million on methane has been saved through use of these projects, according to the study.

Besides its sound environmental management of waste, the municipality has focused on eliminating both air and water pollution. In this respect, the study shows that the municipality has established a network of air control stations that measure the amount of pollution and type of polluting agents so as to preserve the quality of air.

These stations are in five strategic locations - Jebel Ali port, Jebel Ali village, Safa, Deira and Mushrif. The data gathered from these stations is used to improve the quality of air.

According to this data, the rate of clean air increased from 22.13 per cent in 2000 to 36.4 per cent in 2001. The measurements also indicated the degree of air pollution.

Thus, there were 34 days when the air was slightly polluted (9.34 per cent), 25 days of moderate pollution (6.86 per cent), and five days of high pollution (1.4 per cent). For 157 days, the composition of dust in the air was 43.1 per cent.

In fact, the municipality has always been instructing factories to use environment-friendly machines so as to preserve the quality of air. Also, users and dealers have been ordered to have their vehicles with catalytic converters.

According to the study, the amount of waste dumped in the sea actually increased by 53 per cent in a span of three years to reach 964,318 kilograms in 2000.

To combat pollution of the seawater, the municipality cleans Dubai Creek, Hamriya port, Mamzar creek and the territorial waters twice a day. It also analyses water samples continuously to determine quality and conserve it.

The municipality also has a special boat which helps clear the seawater of waste, be it solid material or spilt oil. In fact, it managed to get rid of 500 tonnes of oil, which was spilt when an oil tanker sank in 2001.

In essence, the study depicts Dubai Municipality's commitment towards conserving the environment. It is significant research that records the municipality's efforts since its establishment in 1954.

It was honoured with the King Abdullah bin Al Hussain award for creativity this year, a testimony to its pioneering efforts in preserving and improving the environment.