Imdaad has announced that it is stepping up efforts to expand its waste management and recycling capabilities to complement government initiatives to reduce the total volume of waste generated in the UAE.

Environmental advocates estimate that each UAE resident generates around 2.2 to 2.5kg of waste each day, making it one of the world's largest per capita producers of garbage.

A study by the Abu Dhabi-based Center for Waste Management (CWM) earlier revealed that the emirate generates over 30,000 tonnes of waste daily, while a separate study showed that waste generated annually in Dubai reaches around 13.9 million tonnes.

In light of the growing waste problem, Imdaad has been aggressively organising and supporting environmental campaigns such as the ‘My City, My Environment’ initiative of Dubai Municipality, leveraging the company’s extensive resources and expertise to raise greater environmental awareness and encourage different communities to take action in addressing the growing challenges in waste management.

Mahmood Rasheed, chief operating officer, Imdaad, said: “Waste management is one of the biggest challenges that must be addressed by a fast-growing economy such as the UAE. Social and economic development naturally results in a surge in waste production, so it is crucially important to explore innovative and sustainable ways to reduce the level of waste in the society.”

“The ‘My City, My Environment’ campaign is a very important initiative because it encourages communities to take an active role in managing waste, while creating a strong foundation for a comprehensive waste recycling programme in the society.”

“Imdaad has invested aggressively in state-of-the-art waste management technologies, equipment and professional expertise as part of our continuing efforts to support the government’s efforts to find a more sustainable solution to the waste problem,” Rasheed added. “Our proactive efforts are also in line with our commitment to be a leading advocate in waste management and environmental stewardship in the UAE.”

Imdaad has distributed two 240-litre waste bins (black for general waste and green for mixed recyclables) to each villa in the Mizhar 1 area as part of its commitment to the Dubai Municipality initiative.

It collects general waste daily and recyclables three times a week, while door-to-door campaigns are also being conducted to increase awareness about the importance of recycling and segregating waste, an official said.

Recycling has been one of the pillars of Imdaad’s waste management strategy in conjunction with government-led recycling programmes, the statement said. In Abu Dhabi, CWM aims to divert up to 90 per cent of waste from landfills to various recycling facilities by 2018.

Imdaad seeks to complement such initiatives and help the government fully realise the wide range of benefits of recycling for the society, such as greater energy savings, reduction of pollution, preservation of excellent environmental conditions, protection of natural resources, and economic growth. – TradeArabia News Service