Makki said while there was a rise in general and construction waste, the agricultural waste fell by 10 per cent as compared to 2003, with 117,517 tonnes being collected last year. He said that the involvement of private sector in waste collection, especially from industrial areas and labour camps, has increased the volume of transported waste.

To enhance the role of the private sector in implementing its environment programme, a number of private companies provided 40 trucks to fill the low areas around Al Khail Road, Nad Al Shiba and Ras Al Khor, Emirates Road, Al Mizhar and Al Rashidiya.

The section also removed 723 abandoned vehicles, and a total of 7,718 used tyres were transported to the landfill in Qusais area, he said.

He said the civic body had installed 300 garbage bins in the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market at Al Warsan, besides inducting 29 compact containers of 10 cubic metres capacity, one compact container of 20 cubic metres capacity, and two open containers of 10 cubic metre capacity in its fleet.