The World Bank estimates that 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste is produced every year. At the very least, a third of that waste is not managed in a safe manner.
If that statistic is not alarming enough, consider this prediction: the World Bank also estimates that this figure will rise by 70 per cent by 2050, if we do not make huge changes to our waste generation and disposal habits. We are not immune to this problem in the UAE.
As a result of our fast-growing society, the average person here generates around 2.7 kilogram of waste every day — one of the highest per capita waste generation rates in the world. For that reason, I am pleased to hear the recent news shared by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. In a social media post, he announced that the emirate will make plans to achieve the goals of the 2021 National Agenda for the treatment of 75 per cent of municipal solid waste, diverting it away from landfills.
Reducing waste production by adopting best practices and enhancing awareness levels will greatly enhance the target of creating a sustainable future for the emirate.
Read the full article/ interview to Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah: Gulf News