(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The first specialised centre for collecting recyclable material was launched by Dubai Municipality on Tuesday to raise awareness on waste reduction.
With Ramadan approaching, the municipality's director-general Hussain Nasser Lootah stressed on the importance of reducing waste before recycling it. "We have a high percentage of waste per capita in UAE, which is an issue that needs to be tackled. While Scandinavian countries produce five to 10 per cent waste, Dubai produces 30-35 per cent," said Lootah. The facility, launched at Al Manara Centre, is the first of 13 other centres that will be located at several densely populated locations in the next six months. The centre, referred to as the smart sustainability oasis project, will serve as collection point for different types of recyclable materials. Lootah urged on reducing organic waste (food leftovers) that flood during the holy month. There are future plans for placing the recyclable facility in Dubai schools to encourage families to recycle, Lootah said. Students from various government schools attended the opening ceremony along with a number of assistant director generals, senior officials, staff of the different departments and community members. The centre includes a container for each material: paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, used clothing or fabric, rubber, leather, electronic waste (electrical appliances and used mobile phones), dry batteries, wood and others. It utilises a renewable source through solar panels to reduce power requirements. Engineer Abdulmajeed Saifaie, director of waste management at Dubai Municipality, said the project comes in line with the UAE National Agenda 2021 to divert 75 per cent of the waste generated from the landfills. He added that the launch of this project signifies collective responsibility towards making Dubai an eco-friendly city. What the centre has > A container for each material: paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, used clothing or fabric, rubber, leather, electronic waste, dry batteries > Solar panels used to reduce power requirements > Centre is made of recyclable items including plastic, aluminum and metal flooring > Sensors send report of container fullness levels > Materials will be collected from the centres daily and transported to recycling facilities in Dubai