Most of the activities that we undertake or the lifestyle we follow ,  result in waste of one kind or the other. With increasing population and shrinking resources, managing waste is a significant issue  today. We cannot overlook the issue with reference to the ever-rising landfills especially in the Middle East region. Dubai Municipality (DM)understands the gravity of the situation and is doing its bits towards managing the waste effectively.

DM 's waste management department has signed a contract with M/s Tadweer Waste Treatment LLC for recycling municipal solid waste, which processes about 4000 tonnes of waste per day.

The department has also signed a contract with M/S Emirates Recycling LLC, a plant which is dedicated to the recycling and recovery of the city's construction and demolition (C&D) waste. The plant which has the capacity of recycling 9.5 million tonnes per year is in construction stage.

The initiative continues with the department entering into another contract with M/s Emirates Recycling for waste tyre recycling. The plant has the capacity of processing 1200 tyres per hour and is in the construction stage. With M/s Cyclo, the contract is to build and operate a 30000 tonnes per year waste oil recycling facility and the project is in the construction stage.

The waste management department has commissioned a medical waste incinerator last year with the capacity of processing 19.2 tonnes per day. The vertical waste incinerator houses a conventional stoker type furnace. The medical waste incinerator was supplied and executed by the Mitsubishi and ETA group consortium.

Now the latest initiative by DM is distributing eWaste bins.

Nowadays, families and individuals have thousands of electronic , electrical devices that collectively weigh millions of tons.  e-waste is classified as hazardous waste. Electronics contain toxic substances such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and beryllium that pose a hazard to both humans and the environment.

Most electronic equipment contain lead and many chemical components that pollute soil and leak into the ground water, which in turn causes huge pollution which in turn poses high risks to bio-diversity and nature. Dumped electronic items could poison the soil.

When old TVs and computers are improperly discarded they can shatter and release dangerous amounts of lead into the ground or water table. Extreme care must be taken to dispose of electronic goods in an ecologically sound manner.

Thus, Dubai Municipality (DM), the Waste Management Department has planned now to launch a new service providing specific bins for electronic waste . Waste Management Department has made an agreement with Averda Co to design an advanced bin exclusively for electronic waste which will be placed in public places such as parks, DM centres, commercial centres and cooperative societies spread over in different areas of the emirate.

This move will help users with the safe disposal of e-waste, ensuring a clean and sustainable environment in the Emirate of Dubai.

So far the municipality has a free service to remove bulky waste including e -waste from homes.

Authorities like DM are putting  so many systems in place , investing in so many technologies & resources. All this can NOT be a success unless we , the residents , don't co-operate and comply to the systems. Like What is the use of putting eWaste bins if all residents still don't care and still throw their eWaste with general waste to add to landfill.

Let's be mindful of our waste management habits , let's help & co-operate with local authorities and municipalities like Sharjah's waste management company Bee'ah and Dubai's DM in making UAE the littre-free , zero waste to landfill and the most sustainable country in years to come. It just needs change in our attitude  and  self realization that we need to heal/save our ailing Mother Earth.

Sources :

http://ameinfo.com/blog/agriculture-&-horticulture/dubai-municipality/dm-dispense-new-bins-collect-e-wastes/

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/new-e-waste-bins-to-keep-scavengers-out-1.1392820

http://www.cleanmiddleeast.ae/articles/199/dubai-municipality-rsquo-s-sustainable-waste-management-initiatives.html

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/b30d1316-2455-44b8-9d63-6f054153074d.aspx