Abu Dhabi is planning to extend segregating waste at source in villas to apartment buildings too, the Centre of Waste Management (CWM) in Abu Dhabi officials said.
When it is implemented, the center will involve watchmen at buildings and housemaids in its awareness drives as they mainly deal with the waste generated at residential apartments, Engineer Faris Al Munaiei, Director of Facilities Projects Department at CMW, said.
The center had introduced two types of bins – green for organic waste and black for recyclable solid waste – for villas in the emirate.
In some areas it was not successful because of lack of awareness among residents, Al Munaiei said. “When they find one particular bin is full, they put the waste in the vacant one, without considering its color.”
The center is trying to raise awareness about these issues among the people, Engineer Hani Al Hosani, Director of Strategy and Business Development Section at CWM, said.
Al Munaiei said the center is planning to establish a waste sorting facility soon, which will boost recycling of waste in the emirate.
He said various options are being studied to help individuals who want to recycle used items.
The center is registering private companies who offer recycling solutions to the public, they said.
However the officials did not reveal the exact amount of waste currently being recycled in the emirate. They said several measures are being taken to increase the amount of recycling.
There are several facilities across the emirate to recycle solid waste.
More facilities will come up in the near future, they said.
The center encourages communities that adopt their own recycling strategy. There is a system in Al Raha Gardens on the outskirts of the city to collect newspapers from residents for recycling, he said.
Gulf News
9 September
