Dubai plans integrated waste management

The Dubai Municipality will soon come out with an Integrated Waste Management Master Plan for Dubai for the next 20 years which will focus on a sustainable and innovative waste management system. "Dubai Municipality is not only responding to the current demand for efficient and effective waste management but also safeguarding economic growth and social development as well through its integrated approach to a sustainable and innovative waste management system. Working under the sustainability banner, Dubai Municipality is keen to bring this initiative to fruition," said Salah AbdulRahman Amiri, Assistant Director General for Environment & Public Health Services Sector. The master plan is being developed by municipality's Consultant Mott MacDonald. Abdulmajeed Abdulaziz Saifaie, Director Waste Management Department, said the department primarily aims to reduce the amount of waste generated and also reduce the amount of waste being sent to the landfills by using the integrated and innovative approach to waste management. "We hope to achieve ‘zero land filling,' of waste by the end of 20 years through this waste minimization strategy," he said. Dubai Municipality will take all positive steps necessary to preserve and protect the environment in the emirate, particularly with regard to the management of resources, waste management and pollution control. Dubai has witnessed a reduction in the quantity of waste reduction in the last few months. "We have witnessed a reduction for the last few months and quantity of waste generated in Dubai has come down to about 6,000-7,000 tonnes from the previous about 9,000 to 10,000 tonnes," Saifaie had earlier told Gulf News.