Abu Dhabi aims to cut waste by 80% by 2018

Speaking with Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the two-day conference on ‘Annual Waste Management Middle East Forum’ in the Capital, Jamal Al Jeetawy, technical advisor of Nadafa programme of the Centre of Waste Management (CWM) in Abu Dhabi, said the emirate including Al Ain and Western Region currently generate some 10 million tonnes of waste per year, which “we are targeting to reduce in the coming years”.

The CWM has already achieved a significant success in installing GPS system in around 85 per cent of waste collection vehicles in the emirate and would also fit the device in all waste collection vehicles by the yearend, Al Jeetawy said.

If a vehicle fails to comply with the system by the end of this year, its licence will be cancelled and would not be allowed to collect garbage until it instals the system. According to CWM officials, the objective of having GPS fitted in these trucks is to prevent the illegal dumping of waste and also verify the complaints about non-collection of waste in the city. The central monitoring unit will monitor these trucks.

Under the patronage of the CWM, the Fleming Gulf Conference hosted the forum, which is also endorsed by the Unite. The conference ends today.

anwar@khaleejtimes.com