Dubai Investments Park launches major waste recycling initiative

The agreement forms part of DIP's ongoing environmental awareness program, and constitutes a significant step in its endeavor to educate the public on environmental issues and raise awareness on curbing waste generation.

Under the agreement, Union Paper Mills - as the sole waste recycler for companies based within DIP - will collect various kinds of recyclable waste, especially recyclable paper, from companies and tenants of the Park. To enable this, Union Paper Mills will mobilize its team of well-equipped personnel as well as its fleet of pick-ups, trucks and other vehicles, and set up collection centres at strategic points within the Park in conjunction with the DIP management.

"We are glad to initiate this long-term program aimed at preserving the greenery and promoting eco-friendliness in Dubai Investments Park," said Saeed Bugarah, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Investments Park. "As the premier mixed-use development in the UAE, DIP has positioned itself at the forefront of the campaign towards a clean and sustainable environment, and we are committed to making the Park a greener and more beautiful place. In taking the lead to spearhead the recycling campaign in Dubai, DIP seeks to provide a significant boost to the government's efforts to keep the city clean and preserve our environment for future generations."

Bugarah added:

"The idea behind the recycling campaign is to raise awareness on recycling as a sustainable solution to alleviate pollution in the UAE. Recycling of waste materials is the foremost component of waste management and conservation of natural resources, and it is imperative that we make a sustained and collective effort to promote recycling and simultaneously create awareness on the need to curb waste generation."

All waste paper and empty cartons collected from DIP tenants will be recycled at Union Paper Mills. Plastic waste collected will be given for recycling to plastic companies after correct identification and machine-baling; similarly, metal scrap will be machine-baled and then given to metal rolling mills, while used cooking oil will be collected and given to soap manufacturing factories as well as for manufacturing bio fuel.

Dubai is one of the largest producers of waste per capita (1676 kg per capita in 2004). The city's rapid growth and urbanization has dramatically increased waste generation, with total waste collected climbing to an alarmingly high 11.3 million tonnes in 2005 from 6.6 million tonnes in 2003.

According to a recent magazine report, more than 120 million tonnes of waste is produced in the GCC countries each year.