1,676kg waste removed from Al Wathba reserve

Abu Dhabi - 105 students participated in Al Wathba Wetland Reserve clean up campaign.

A clean up campaign in the capital marked the UAE's 19th National Environment Day on Wednesday.
As many as 105 school children and 69 government and private organisations employees from Abu Dhabi made a trip early on Wednesday morning to Al Wathba to clean it up.Al Wathba, a farming town on the edge of the desert is famous for the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, a marshland home to red flamingos and hundreds of other bird species, insects, mangroves and reeds, managed by Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD).The job took two hours, during which 1,676 kilogrammes of waste was collected, mostly plastic, wood waste, metal, glass and paper.Much of it will now be recycled by Tadweer, Abu Dhabi's Waste Management Company, which also participated at the clean up campaign organised by the EAD and BP, sponsor of the Sustainable Schools Initiative (SSI)."Such campaigns aim to protect the environment, as well as directing school children towards positive attitudes in maintaining a clean environment through awareness initiatives," said Ahmed Baharoon, executive director of the Environmental Science, Information and Outreach Sector at EAD.
Ahead of the clean up, the students were given a brief and provided with information on the roles and responsibility of the campaign and about the different measurement tools used in collecting data.
"Schools Clean Up campaign is an excellent way to educate students about the negative impacts of litter on the environment and how they can help to make a difference in their community," mentioned Abdul Karim Al Mazmi, president and general manager for BP UAE.
The participating students were all part of EAD and BP's SSI, which every year attracts eco-clubs from registered schools in the emirate to annually participate in projects that promote sustainability to the wider community.
silvia@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Abu Dhabi