UAE turning waste from environmental burden into economic resource

UAE turning waste from environmental burden into economic resource

ABU DHABI- In recent years, the UAE has progressed in turning waste from an environmental burden into an economic resource, through launching initiatives that support the waste management industry.Waste management is a key challenge facing the UAE, as its population, economic growth and increasing levels of income, among other factors, have led to an increase in waste, amounting, in 2019, to some 35.5 million tonnes, including about 5.6 million tonnes of municipal solid waste.Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, stated that waste management and recycling are prioritised by the UAE, noting that the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment aims to increase the percentage of processed municipal solid waste to 75 percent, and establish a regulatory and operational framework to boost private sector engagement in the waste recycling industry.Federal Law No.12 for 2018 aims to regulate the waste management system, unify related mechanisms and methods, encourage the construction of waste recycling centres, and oblige relevant establishments to utilise waste, and recycle waste requiring specific management, upon their disposal.In 2019, key developments have taken place in the field of transforming waste into sources of energy and alternative fuel. The first "Waste-to-Energy" plant was constructed in Sharjah,