The Sustainabilist - Keep It Clean by Dubai Carbon

The Sustainabilist ISSUE 13

Keep it Clean

TAKING A DEEP DIVE

WASTE TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

Emirates Diving Association’s Annual Campaign Frees the Seas

UAE’s Untapped Precious Resource

REDESIGNING THE FUTURE

THE DARK SIDE OF RECYCLING Taking a Comprehensive Look at the Impact of the Industry

WWW.THESUSTAINABILIST.AE WWW.THESUSTAINABILIST.AE

Adopting the Circular Economy Imperative

Issue 13 | March 2019

Letter from the Editor in Chief

he waste management sector in the UAE is making rapid progress and the demand for this service is rising in leaps and bounds.

Eng Waleed Bin Salman Chairman Dubai Carbon

The Sustainabilist Follow Us On

Editorial: fomo@thesustainabilist.ae Commercial: getinvolved@thesustainabilist.ae

The Sustainabilist is published by Dubai Carbon. Articles reprinted in this issue are copyrighted 2018 by Dubai Carbon. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, without prior written permission of Dubai Carbon is expressively prohibited. Printed by: Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC P.O. Box - 5613, Dubai, UAE. Nothing in this magazine shall be taken as technical or advice and DCCE waives any liability with respect to any representations made.

The UAE is a melting pot of diverse cultures and while that is a strength of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to portray itself as a global hub, it could be a challenge on the cultural side because it reflects the contrasting mindsets of the people towards recycling and waste. Rapid development is coupled to a rise in population which, in turn, leads to high levels of waste generation per capita. Therefore, it all boils down to creating the right amount of effective awareness and pushing out result oriented initiatives. We are learning about the different types of waste that is being produced, from food to electronic waste, and their consequences on the environment, together with the best ways we can reduce or upcycle usage. The answers lie in the right education for people to become conscious of their choices, recycle, reduce waste and putting the infrastructure in place. The citizens and residents of the country are the greatest resource in making the change we wish to see happen. Under the wise and able guidance of our leaders the country is accelerating forward to realising its schemes in sustainability as the call for a more sustainable future increases. Measurable actions plans have been formulated within the tenets of the UAE Vision 2021 and the upcoming Expo

2020, with a view towards reaching socioeconomic benefits. One of the principle goals of UAE Vision 2021 focuses on waste management in which the target is to divert 75 per cent of waste from the landfills by 2020 and 98 per cent by 2030, respectively. Nothing can be achieved without the collaboration and cooperation between the different emirates and the federal government, that make up the fabric of this dynamic country. Which is why the UAE does not hesitate to map out and reach its ambitious targets. We have become intensely dedicated towards sustainability, intelligent use of resources and waste management and we have proven results in a short period of time. We see evidence of that in our dayto-day lives â&#x20AC;&#x201C; intensive efforts promoting reuse and recycling in local communitiesawareness campaigns in schools, integrating technology to innovate waste management-chief among the policies is the waste-to-energy (WTE) initiative, the modest yet encouraging presence of recycling bins installed reminding citizens and residents of their responsibilities. Future ambitions can be fulfilled. The onus is now on all of us to ensure that these schemes do not flag. We are all stakeholders in ensuring that our country is a model example among the rest of the nations. Remember, if it is the UAE, then it is possible.

To read the latest issue go to: www.theSustainabilist.ae 1

The Sustainabilist

www.TheSustainabilist.ae

2019 EDITORIAL CALENDAR JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

ENERGY

TECHNOLOGY

WASTE

SEPTEMBER

Sponsored by

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

EGA CHAMPIONS SUSTAINABILITY

The Sustainabilist

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

Issue 5

683 KG

ISSUE 05

Manufacturing Sustainable Production

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

Issue 4

The Sustainabilist

Issue 6

Converting waste to energy

Of course, the most sustainable magazine is one that does not use any paper at all! That is why The Sustainabilist will only be printed till the end of Expo 2020.

Emissions from Issue 1 – 10

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

In accordance with the approved health and safety standards in Dubai, the bank collects surplus fresh and canned food from hotels, restaurants, hospitality establishments, farms, food factories and food product markets and distributes them locally and internationally in cooperation with a network of charity and humanitarian organisations.

Therefore, we use normal paper, but offset it. Under a circular economy perspective, the latter is more viable from both a resource consumption pattern and the circular life of resources.

We have considered recycled paper, however to do that successfully, we would have to use twice as much recyclable paper, which would actually increase our emissions.

Issue 2

Since the beginning of 2018, the bank has received about 790 tons of various foodstuffs and has so far collected and distributed around 4,500 tons of food since its inception.

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

As part of the country’s plans to reduce food waste, the third food bank has started operations in the UAE.

t Dubai Carbon, we offset our resources used through our UAE-generated credit. A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere. This approach, despite being more complex, is more beneficial in the long run as it has a 6x multiplier for green economy and green GDP.

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

UAE launches 3 Food Bank rd

Achieving Carbon Neutrality

Issue 1

NEWS ROOM

WWW.THESUSTAINABILIST.AE

598 KG

CO2e

854 KG

CO2e

WWW.THESUSTAINABILIST.AE

Date: 19 December 2018 Reference: VC/0801/2018

VOLUNTARY CANCELLATION CERTIFICATE

Presented to: CDM Project 7260: DEWA Chiller Station L

Reason for cancellation: Voluntary cancellation made by Dubai Carbon to offset emissions generated from printing The Sustainabilist from October 2017 to October 2018

Number and type of units cancelled Start serial number: AE-5-621404-2-2-0-7260 End serial number: AE-5-621413-2-2-0-7260

10 CERs

Equivalent to 10 tonne(s) of CO2

The certificate is issued in accordance with the procedure for voluntary cancellation in the CDM Registry. The reason for cancellation included in this certificate is provided by the canceller.

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Technology that Simulates Nature for Waste Upcycling By Dr Corrado Sommariva CEO and Founder, Sustainable Water and Power Consultants (SWPC)

n nature there is no waste. In a natural environment it is not possible to define the concept of pollution because there is no waste. The natural ecosystem recycles all matter completely in order to maintain the required level of nutrients and resources. If there were no anthropogenic activities introducing elements into the environment, that are alien to the biosphere it would be possible in principle, to consider our planet as one immense biological and chemical reactor where the biological and chemical elements of the biosphere are constant but in continuous transformation from one form to another as schematically indicated in Figure 1. Anthropogenic activities and waste generation The concept of waste and the related alteration and deterioration in the environment is associated with the emission of natural elements (such as CO2) that are discharged at a higher rate than the breathing and upcycling capacity of the planet or by the introduction generating an increase in their concentration in the planet. 6

CO2 uptake by plants CO2 Generation

OXIDATION Carbon stored in plants and soil microbes

REDUCTION

Fig 1: The earth continuously upcycling oxidation products (Sustainability a way to abundance. C. Sommariva 2018).

With the development of non-biodegradable material such as plastic, that is incompatible with the regeneration and upcycling capacity of the environment, waste products and toxins cannot but accumulate to critical levels.

Issue 13 | March 2019

Treated organic waste is then returned to the biosphere with all the biological nutrients that are necessary to it. In this cycle, the biosphere not only keeps renewing itself, but also storing solar energy in the form of additional resources, of a high chemical potential. At the same time, renewable sources may support humanity to reverse the environmental impact created as a result of this era of industrial development. Most importantly, with abundant and low cost solar energy a new wave of economic development can be driven that reproduces on a technological level, the generation usage production and storage scheme that occurs in nature. With the scheme indicated above, the

RENEWABLE ENERGY

BIOSPHERE BIOMASS

Resources

Store

Resources Resources

Energy

TECHNOSPHERE

ANTHROPOGENIC

WASTE BIOLOGICAL

Energy

Technology and the way forward As humanity progresses, it is impossible to let the natural ecosystemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcycling mechanism to handle the amount and the typology of waste and pollution generated by anthropogenic activities. Therefore, technology has to imitate nature in upcycling waste and transforming waste into a resource with a process driven by renewable energy as indicated in Figure 2 below. The scheme indicated in Figure 2 shows an alternative pattern that would reinstate the cycle that was originally in nature and, at the same time, enable the techno sphere to deal with the necessity of current living standards. As seen in Figure 2, while anthropogenic energy requirements are satisfied by renewable energy, more energy is extracted from the organic energy residue of the waste generated by anthropogenic activities. Waste also becomes the source of the material required from the techno sphere in a cycle that does not require withdrawal of more resources from the lithosphere for the manufacturing process.

NUTRIENTS BIOLOGICAL

WASTE TECHNOLOGICAL

NUTRIENTS BIOLOGICAL

Fig 2: Future scenario generating and abundant flow of energy and resources in future scenarios [Sustainability a way to abundance, C. Sommariva 2018]

waste in the biosphere and techno sphere are endlessly recycled and therefore, become nutrients for the anthropogenic products forever while solar energy accumulates more and more chemical elements in reduced form. According to this scheme, the term waste itself would be no longer appropriate. Instead, it would be more apt to define waste as a downcycled element. In this cycle, renewable resources are harvested for energy, and human waste is mined for resources while, the natural cycle continues enriching the planet by upcycling the nutrients and storing carbon in reduced form as well as other nutrients; both biological and technological. A positive trend that progresses As time goes by, it becomes evident that wealthier societies that are highly tech-

enabled, generate a lower environmental impact, thanks to the support of technology and a cultural awareness of sustainability and the environment. Countries that have developed higher technology, better economy and affluence, have also in turn managed to decrease environmental impact. For instance Germany and Sweden have no environmental impact related to waste discharge in landfills and recycle and compost majority of their waste. UAE leading the way The United Arab Emirates is paving the way to this positive trend in the GCC with the development of the largest waste to energy project plant located at Warsan site in Dubai, that will treat 5,000 tonnes per day of non-recyclable municipal solid waste generating an Yearly Net Power Production. 7

DISCOVER ALL THAT IS POSSIBLE. www.visitdubai.com

Issue 13 | March 2019

COVER STORY

On the Way to Achieving a Sustainable Dubai HE Dawoud Abdulrahman Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality (DM), is sharing the progress made by DM in 2018 and the plans for 2019 in achieving the goal of reducing waste reaching landfills by 75% by 2021.

hat were the most impactful waste management programs Dubai Municipality (DM) has implemented in 2018? The environmental sustainability of Dubai is one of the five main strategic pillars of Dubai Municipality, under which integrated waste management is a major goal and we shoulder a great responsibility toward 9

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

implementing innovative and impactful initiatives to enhance waste recycling and facilitate waste related processes and procedures. First, two material recovery facilities were commissioned & started operations in 2018, in addition to the existing one, which resulted in an enhanced capacity of municipal solid waste recycling up to 3000 tons/day from all three facilities together. In terms of the integration of smart application in waste management, Radio Frequency Identification systems were implemented to monitor the routes of waste transporting vehicles and to collect the fees set by the municipality through e-wallets. The smart gates are named “Nafith” and are in operation at four landfill sites.

Moreover, initiating the online Waste Disposal Service Permits for waste generating companies allowed a visible growth in the direct diversion of waste from source to recycling companies as it has increased by 6% and is set to increase further. What are the main areas of focus for DM, in 2019, to reach the goal of reducing waste reaching landfills by 75% by 2021 and what will be the key initiatives to support the objectives? Along with various waste related initiatives and the planned development on the integrated waste management strategy and roadmap for Dubai, our greatest focus area for 2019 is the execution of the “Dubai Waste Management Center,” designed to treat 5000 tons of municipal solid waste daily, the quantity that would otherwise be

landfilled. Apart from producing energy through the incineration of waste, the plant will contribute to the production of non-fossil energy. What has been the trend in the levels of municipal waste in 2018 compared to 2017? What are the targets for 2019? As a result of the various awareness initiatives conducted by Dubai Municipality for the public and stakeholders, we have noticed a declining trend in the quantity of the waste generated by 5% in 2018 in comparison with the previous year. Additionally, the amount of recycled waste has increased from 25% in 2017 to 32% in 2018, which demonstrates a great indication of our progress in waste management and recycling. The goal for 2019 is 35% recycling.

Issue 13 | March 2019

What are the areas in Dubai which produce the largest/least amount of waste? Waste generation in an area depends on various aspects including the population density and the type of activity in the area. It has been noticed that the largest waste generation areas with high density of population combined with commercial establishments. Likewise, the minimum waste generation has been in rural areas with low population and minimal commercial activities.

in national exhibitions and forums to raise awareness on the importance of sustainable waste management through exhibiting the latest practices of Dubai Municipality, which also included awareness in the form of art in art galleries like Sikka. Also, several campaigns were initiated last year including “plastic-free summer”,

What are the main educational initiatives DM is focusing on in order to educate residents of Dubai about reducing waste? The education and awareness of the public is our main priority, as their engagement contributes to achieving positive results in terms of the reduction of waste volumes by encouraging them to reuse and recycle. Educational lectures were held at various schools on “Sustainable waste Management,” which was benefitted by more than 10,000 students from 43 educational institutions. Another initiative was the distribution of thermal Fertilizer Containers in schools, where students can make their own fertilizers from organic waste.

awareness of the public is our main priority, as their engagement contributes to achieving positive results in terms of the reduction of waste volumes by encouraging them to reuse and recycle.

“

In addition, field visits to landfill sites and recycling facilities were arranged for universities and engineering students, to raise awareness on sustainable waste management practices. Social Media Awareness (through the social networking sites, screens and electronic awareness platforms in public facilities) was conducted to raise awareness on the Local Order No. 11 of 2003 on public health and community safety in the Emirate of Dubai, which includes penalties on waste disposal. We have also participated

The “education and

“Say no to plastic bags,” volunteering for beach and desert clean up campaigns, etc. From DM’s data, what is the main source of waste in Dubai?

Approximately, 77% of municipal solid waste was generated by residents of Dubai including the tourists and floating population, while 23% was generated by commercial establishments. What are some of the technological innovations that DM is using in managing waste? One of the latest innovative technological applications implemented by Dubai Municipality was the “Smart Sustainable Oasis” Project, which involved the installation of 13 waste collection units in different locations of Dubai, for the collection of recyclable materials from residential communities. We also started using drones for the surveillance, monitoring, and inspection of disposal and treatment sites. We have also implemented the NORD Systems for smart storing, collection, and transporting of waste in two areas in Dubai as a first phase, Al Twar-3 and Al Mamzar areas. Those systems involve closed containers, one for general solid waste and another for recyclables, which are accessed through doors, which makes them safer for animals and users. We also have the Waste Disposal Service (WDS) portal, which is managed remotely via the latest computerized online systems, and the new state-of the-art “Hazardous Liquid Waste Treatment Plant” involving technological applications for the monitoring and treatment of waste. Who are some of the key partners DM has in reducing waste? Our key strategic partners in reducing waste are all the permitted waste collection companies, waste sorting and recycling companies operating in the Emirate of Dubai. 11

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

What would be the 3 top things DM would advise individuals and companies to do in order to reduce waste? For individuals, Dubai Municipality will emphasise the importance of reducing waste at their own homes; by adopting initiatives such as “Shop smartly, reduce your waste,” waste disposal by segregation at the source, use of potable composters to recycle organic waste and its use in kitchen gardens / flower pots and finally, the reusable and recyclable materials disposal at Smart Sustainable Oasis community recycling centres. As for companies and commercial establishments, they are encouraged to reduce the waste by reusing the packaging materials, boxes, pallets, and to use food/organic waste composters in Malls for food courts/ 12

restaurants to recycle the waste along with the segregation of papers, cardboards, and plastics for recycling. Also, as per the available reports many big companies and malls are strictly following the sustainable waste management guidelines of DM, which is a good indicator on their performance in terms of waste management. What would be the communities or the stakeholders in Dubai, which you would highlight as doing great efforts into reducing their waste production? Community responsibility initiatives include “Clean up the world Campaign,” with the participation of more than 34,000 volunteers in 2017 and “An Hour with the Cleaning Worker,” which witnessed the

participation of 4,000 volunteers in 2018. The “My City My Environment Program,” which involves door-to-door collection and distribution of two containers for each household (for general and recyclable waste) for the residential communities listed under it. It plays an important role in reducing the waste right from segregation at source, also some communities are using potable composters for producing compost from their organic waste. What are the top 3 types of materials that have been recycled in 2018? The top recycled materials in 2018 were papers and cardboards, with a volume of almost 303,000 tons, secondly, metals with 138,000 tons and finally 41,000 tons of plastics.

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All About the Waste

shutterstock.com

#THEGREENECONOMIST

By Ivano Iannelli CEO, Dubai Carbon

or this particular issue of The Sustainabilist we focus on the issue of centralising waste management. We prepared a report on this which was presented to the office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The call is to adopt a paradigm shift in the way waste management is being viewed and handled now. First we need to accept that waste is not waste. We treat it as such, sweep the issue under the carpet and avoid looking at the bigger picture. We transfer this service to third parties, whether domestic, a hotel, or a service provider. The process of disposing waste is invisible to us and, because we do not understand the full cycle and the 14

consequences of our choices, we do not see the benefits of going through the process of separating forms of waste. There is also a lack of knowledge and benchmarks. We do not comprehend the variety of waste that we are producing: from food to electronic waste, from green to construction waste. Understanding that each item has a carbon footprint attached to it might help us consider the ways in which we dispose of it. Once we become aware that waste is not just waste, we face a different challenge: logistics. We do not have space in our kitchens to accommodate numerous bins and we do not have a matching number of bins to collect the waste downstairs. Even if we did, how do we know exactly where goes what? The quantities of waste represent another issue. Whoever opts for recycling must know that the bin for plastic is bigger, the bin for paper sturdier, and nobody

knows how to dispose of glass bottles. There is an isolated approach towards this knowledge due to lack of standards, perception and components. These elements have to be addressed in a procedural way given that the volume and weight of the waste we produce depends on our culture, social strata and living habits. The final element is to avoid looking at waste management companies simply as glorified, entities who focus on the logistics between waste room to the landfill. There is no incentive for them to reduce the number of trips by adopting a process of recycling. The onus, therefore, lies on us, and ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s associations, to step forward and aggregate volumes in a way that makes the process commercially viable, and become co-creators of a waste management system that is beneficial to all of us.

Issue 13 | March 2019

FEATURE

Medical Waste Calls for Awareness, Caution and Care

Segregation of various types of waste material is a key component in what is a highly risky process.

edical waste globally deals with highly toxic components in some cases and the UAE is no different. Medical waste is something that we do not come face-to-face with in our daily lives unless we are in the medical profession. Therefore, it often goes undetected unless one has seen the yellow vans which sport an unusual logo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a circle with three incomplete circles merged into it. Hospitals, clinics, testing laboratories and pharmacies produce medical waste and it is a very crucial process which

calls for heightened awareness, caution and care while handling for specialised disposal. Negligence could lead to infection, contamination as most medical waste contains bacteria and viruses. Strict laws govern the collection and disposal of medical waste in the UAE. This waste is taken and burnt according to stipulations in its own incinerator. With the UAE, especially Dubai, concentrating as a premier medical tourism destination and with expansion of medical institutions imminent, the volume of medical waste as well as

disposal facilities is going to increase. Mediclinic Middle East are one such hospital who practice their due diligence with regards to medical waste disposal. Like others hospitals they have a Waste Management Policy to ensure the correct management of all waste. This is to protect the health and safety of healthcare workers and other employees, patients, visitors to and contractors of private and public healthcare facilities, as well as surrounding communities and the environment from risks associated with the generation, handling, storage, transportation, recycling, reuse, treatment and disposal of healthcare waste. Waste bins are placed at the point of 15

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

Medical waste is not mixed with the nonmedical waste and other types of waste. Waste segregation takes place at source (the point of generation) to effectively reduce the risk of contamination and the amount of infectious waste generated. Medical waste bags are already securely tied, sealed and labelled. The waste collection process for Mediclinic has been contracted to Suez Middle East Recycling LLC. Prior to this process housekeeping at the hospital are assigned to act as waste coordinators and are responsible for the safe and efficient collection and handling of waste. The storage area for the waste for collection is secure and locked. Access to these areas is limited only to those responsible for the handling, transporting and/or disposing of the waste. The waste rooms are temperature controlled and with proper documentation. Hospitals and clinics have to position the waste in special yellow bins and these bins are kept in the basement at a cool temperature. There are strict rules that govern this process with steel ties being wrapped around plastic bags. When it comes to the collection of medical waste, the role of the companies who collect the waste is important to the safety aspect. Bacteria and viruses flourish in the heat and the medical, or biohazardous waste, can become contagious and contaminate the vans if the temperature is not controlled. Operators who deal with the waste also have to take precautions by wearing safety equipment such as masks and gloves. Staff must undergo medical checks 16

“

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was the first local body that began a campaign in 2012 on how to safely dispose of expired medicines and drugs that are no longer used.

“

generation and are labelled.

periodically and subject themselves to vaccinations in order to keep themselves free from disease and viruses. The disposal process sees the use of medical truck crews specifically trained by the company and they cover the service routes, bins collection and bin cleaning. The collection vans are temperature-controlled to between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. A typical crew would consist of one driver and two helpers. The waste is then transferred to the Dubai Municipality Incinerator Plant in Jebel Ali. The trucks are equipped with GPS systems and monitored from the central control room. The operations team continuously improves the routes efficiency in order to optimize CO2 emissions. Medical trucks are also equipped with a weighting system and the waste collection is performed in accordance with Dubai Municipality Code of Practice.

It is also crucial that incinerators built have the capacity of zero emissions. Disposal of syringes, bloodstained bandages and adult nappies for paraplegics, contain infectious microbes and these microbes release various calories or thermal units when incinerated. Disposal of such waste is controlled and hospitals are fined if they do not follow due diligence by bypassing regulations. The disposal of medical waste in the UAE walks a very fine line despite the imposition of strict laws by the government that govern the process. Unfortunately, there are no rules or processes with regard to disposing of hazardous medical waste at home and these could include syringes used by diabetics for insulin, or blood stained bandages. These types of waste find themselves in the garbage bins on most occasions and many families are guilty of flushing medicine which has passed its expiry date down the toilet. Most of the time, these are thrown into the garbage can along with other household refuse. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was the first local body that began a campaign in 2012 on how to safely dispose of expired medicines and drugs that are no longer used. It launched a “Clean your Medicine Cabinet” campaign to help residents dispose of unused medicines or drugs that have expired. According to experts storing expired drugs at home is a safety hazard. It could lead to inadvertent consumption and this is dangerous as some medicines turn toxic with time. The best practice is to dispose of medicines when they expire.

Carbon neutral currency Collaboratively working towards the new standard in global carbon transaction Watch this space for more & share your thoughts at tellusyourstory@dcce.ae

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Going from Trash to Treasure

A look at the efforts of different emirates’ towards creating a waste-free environment for everyone.

he official portal of the government of the UAE (government.ae) highlights the administration’s efforts towards propagating the concept of decentralisation of waste management. Due to increasing population growth and heightening economic activities, the quantities of waste in the UAE have increased in the last decade. Most of the waste ends up in municipal landfills or dumpsites, where organic waste generates a large amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Currently, little of the waste is burnt and the rate of municipal waste recycling has been rapidly rising. The call, therefore, is to opt for the concept of decentralisation of waste management.

The objectives of decentralisation are to create a hygienic environment free of garbage in the selected area, minimising of waste disposal, utilising waste as a resource for the generation of wealth, converting biodegradable waste into compost, to educate the community and make them aware of their roles and responsibilities, to involve community in solid waste management. Waste management in the country is coordinated through local authorities. Waste issues are handled through recycling and converting waste to energy and resources, new technologies and improved waste separation and collection systems. The movement has been systematically introduced in the emirates of Abu Dhabi; Dubai; Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.

Waste management in Abu Dhabi The Government of Abu Dhabi established the Centre of Waste Management Tadweer in 2008. The company is responsible for the policy, strategy and contractual systems of waste management across the emirate. Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSCC) launched an AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) Strategic Tunnel Enhancement Programme (STEP) in 2009, which includes building 41 km of deep sewer tunnels. The emirate aims to divert 85 per cent of its waste from dumping grounds by 2018. In order to fulfil its aims of promoting waste to energy a 100 MW facility, one of the world’s largest, is under development in

Issue 13 | March 2019

Abu Dhabi by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (Taqa), in coordination with the Center of Waste Management (Tadweer). The plant was scheduled to be functional by 2017, generating enough power for 20,000 households in Abu Dhabi as well as cutting greenhouse gases. It is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than one million tonne per year. The project will be set near the Mussafah Sea Port, and it will be one of the biggest waste-to-energy facilities in the world, stretching across an area of 100,000 square metres. Waste management in Dubai Dubai Municipality’s Waste Management Department composed the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Master Plan in 2012. Its aim is to reduce the amount of waste being sent to the landfills to zero in 20 years by using an integrated and innovative approach. Dubai Municipality announced that it would establish the largest plant in the Middle East to convert solid waste into energy at a cost of AED 2 billion in the Warsan district. The move also comes in line with the National Agenda to reduce the landfill by 75 per cent by 2021, in addition to protecting the environment from methane gas emitted by the landfill. The implementation period will take three years and the plant will be operational in the second quarter of 2020 during which it will receive 2,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste per day in the first phase to produce 60 megawatts. The waste incineration project is the first of the four projects to produce green energy. Dubai Municipality then partnered with private firms in March this year, to build and operate the plants on the premises

of Al Ghusais landfill and the dump yard in Al Bayada. The two new plants, along with the already existing facility of Tadweer in Al Warsan, was to help divert 50 to 60 per cent of domestic waste from landfills. This would aid in the process of recycling. As per the latest figures, Dubai generates almost 9,300 tonnes of domestic waste per day. When the new plants are fully functional, the three facilities together will have the capacity to process 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes of domestic waste. This would improve the waste management system in the emirate significantly. Dubai Municipality, in co-ordination with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, conducted studies to achieve the strategy of Dubai for Clean Energy, to produce 7 per cent of Dubai’s total energy from clean energy sources by 2020. Waste management in Sharjah The emirate of Sharjah set up a municipal waste management company Bee’ah (Arabic for environment) in 2007 in the form of a public-private partnership. In October 2011, Sharjah announced a 100 per cent landfill diversion by 2015. To realise this ambition, Bee’ah developed a state-of-the-art waste management centre to process and recycle waste. In 2012, the company introduced twostream waste collection and a new tipping fee structure to incentivise waste reduction and to closely regulate landfill contents. Improved blue and green coloured, odourproof bins have been deployed across the emirate.

A 2 MW facility is operational in Ras Al Khaimah. The Ras Al Khaimah Waste Management Agency launched six recycling locations this April, coinciding with International Earth Day, to help divert more of its waste away from landfill. Some include drop off centres for household items people no longer need. Just 14 per cent of RAK’s waste is currently recycled – a number it hopes to increase to 30 per cent this year, and to 75 per cent by 2021. RAK aimed to reach its target by distributing recycling bags to all residents before the end of June – which include green bags for the collection of recyclables such as plastics, paper, cardboard, cans and glass bottles, and brown bags for food waste.

GREEN JOB

Experienced Marketing Professional We are looking for a dynamic individual with experience in working across multiple marketing programmes. Tasks will include, but not be limited to; external and internal event management and organisation, writing, reviewing and editing award submissions, managing the content of the company website, and working on marketing materials and tools. If interested, please send your CV to : anofferyoucantrefuse@dcce.ae

Waste management in Ras Al Khaimah 19

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Risking Recycling The process is not without its risks and can present a list of dangers. The Sustainabilist weighs in.

ecycling is considered one of the best habits we can cultivate for the environment, because it involves collecting trash, disposing of it judiciously and later reprocessing this waste in their proper recycling plants, instead of just throwing out our waste, in which case it is sent to one of many landfills to rot there for hundreds of years. To those who are working in these recycling plants, or in other areas of recycling industry, this process can actually be dangerous, which unfortunately means that there is a dark side to recycling. But these negative

aspects pertain not only to the human element but other factors which, if not addressed on a regular basis, portrays the industry in a poor light. The recycling industry is well known for having unpleasant working conditions. Whether plastic, paper, glass or metal recycling, material collection or any other aspect of recycling, people who are doing these jobs do not enjoy great working conditions or good pay. Some jobs in the recycling industry are dangerous too. The recycling industry is not small. It employs an excess of a million people in the U.S. alone, and although scrap

yards and recycling plants generate high revenue, it is seldom used to improve working conditions. In recycling not a lot of tasks can be systemised, because the materials that goes to these plants come in all shapes and sizes. But not a lot of people are willing to work in recycling, so these jobs are mostly occupied by people, who are not able to find anything better. According to helpsavenature.com, as a lot of debris is collected everyday for recycling, the recovery sites can become unhygienic. Abandoned dump sites can severely damage the surrounding

Issue 13 | March 2019

environment. Harmful chemicals in the trash, can mix into water and soil. This can cause water and soil pollution and harm plants and fish in the streams and lakes. When it gets mixed with rainwater, a poisonous mixture known as leachate, is formed. This mixture can be dangerous if it reaches the water supplies. When rainwater falls on open dumps, most of the contaminated water (leachate) percolates deep into the ground and pollutes the ground water. The issues with the effects of recycling paper are often associated with cleanliness and transportation. Paper recycling can be a bit costly, as additional industrial processes such as bleaching, are required to make the paper reusable. There is no guarantee that the new recycled product obtained will be of good quality. This is because recycling involves manufacturing products from used materials. In the process of bleaching, harsh chemicals are used and these can cause health problems on exposure. Although many find plastic convenient for everyday use, it is quite difficult to recycle this material. There are different kinds of plastic and one has to sort them systematically so as make a useful recycled product. One cannot simply manufacture a new product by combining different kinds of plastic. Another aspect that needs minute attention is the fact that recycling sites are commonly unsafe. This ranges from industrial to medical waste recycling. Material thrown into the recycling bin is another form of trash. As with any waste, it has to be transported and

processed somewhere. This leads to situations where additional locations of potentially hazardous waste are created. These sites could breed bacteria, disease and present a whole list of potentially unsafe conditions. While the advantages of the process of recycling cannot be emphasized enough and the onus is on everyone to inculcate the habits, there are notable disadvantages to it as well. (renewablesourcescoalition.org) • Recycling isn’t always cost effective: There are the recycled goods that get sent to the manufacturers to repurpose. Then there are the ones that need to go to a new factory all-together. In order to repurpose certain recycled materials, separate manufacturing plants need to be built and used. This would counteract the advantage recycling has of creating less pollution, since more may actually be generated as a result of the additional factory. • There are high up-front costs: There are units that need to be set up, factory upgrades that need to be made, and attaining trucks to haul the recycled material. A recycling program can be a significant investment for an institution or facility to make. • Need for more global buy in: The kind of recycling that occurs is putting used paper products into blue bins and hauling them away for reuse. This impact is rather small compared to the massive amounts of waste and deforestation taking place on an industrial- type level.

• Recycled products are often of lesser quality: Products made from used, repurposed materials simply don’t stand up quality-wise to new material. • Recycling sites are commonly unsafe: Material thrown into the recycling bin is another form of trash.

Positive aspects of recycling: • Preserves the environment • Importing garbage (market opportunity) • Recycled products are budget friendly • Reduces pollution • Lowers carbon footprint • Conserves natural resources • Reduces landfill use • Improves employment prospects Negative aspects of recycling: • Waste recovery sites can be unhygienic • Abandoned dump sites can severely damage the surrounding environment • Harmful chemicals in the trash can mix into water and soil • When it gets mixed with rainwater, a poisonous mixture known as leachate, is formed. • Recycling sites are commonly unsafe • Material thrown into the recycling bin is another form of trash • These areas breed bacteria, disease, and other unsafe conditions • Recycling sites are not without their own forms of pollution • Waste is frequently mixed with water, leading to broader scale pollution

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

“

The UAE’s government, is key in leading the way to avoid such a future, and I am proud ACWA Power is part of this change.

“

Issue 13 | March 2019

I AM THE SUSTAINABILIST

David Ungar Executive Director, Green House Gas Mitigation and Sustainability at ACWA Power

ave sustainability and environmental issues always been a passion of yours? How did you first get involved, and how did you develop your passion? As I was always a student of history, and many of the conflicts of the human race were driven by the need of resources (access to water, arable land, etc.), it was an interest early on in my life. As a child Christmas Eve of 1968 probably had the most profound impact on me, when an astronaut of the crew of Apollo 8 took the first photograph of the planet Earth in the middle of the dark ocean of space. James Lovell said his thumb could block the view of the entire planet from where he was, and even today the thought that we are so easily erasable gives me the shivers. In saving our planet, we are all together, and our differences are truly negligible. What was your first job that actually involved sustainability and environmental issues? I always liked to work as an early adaptor of technologies and started with a dot com in 1994. In 2000 I accepted an offer from the largest environmental commodity trading firm of the US, Evolution Markets, one of the pioneers of market-based environmental mitigation and a company that celebrated

many historic milestones. I was very proud to be linked to two of their major accomplishments (the first AAU transaction ever under the auspices of the Kyoto treaty; between Slovakia & Japan, and the very first EAU transaction of the EU ETS). Have you actively tried to align your career with your passion for sustainability? And does this commitment to sustainability extend to your home/personal life? Since my a dot com years and despite external challenges, absolutely! My role at ACWA Power has also given me new avenues to express my commitment to sustainability and at a much larger scale. I believe I have to set an example to my peers through my own actions and since 2014, I own electric vehicles, that are being charged from my own 12kW solar roof. My home, although quite old, has an updated effective insulation, IOT management, uses bio diesel for heating fuel, and FSC (Forestry Sustainable Council) certified fire wood. I also have a tertiary waste water treatment plant in my home. I purchase Gold Standard certified carbon credits on my own, to ensure my carbon footprint is being off-seted year after year, including all my travels. Where do you see your career and

commitment to sustainability progressing in the future, both professionally and personally? I believe sustainability will infiltrate all the value systems we are using in our day to day life… including our currency and our purchasing decisions, eventually giving us a framework, to build our life around. The world has already accepted a carbon restrained future, and now we have to learn to live in it, as individuals, societies, and as corporate entities. There is a great line from one of my favorite TV show: “resistance is futile”. If I can be part of this transition, I will feel good about the work I have done, and am doing at ACWA Power. But I am keenly aware, that this work is much more about my daughter’s generation, and beyond. Why do you think sustainability is important to Dubai and the UAE? Is it something in which we should all be invested? UAE is a new nation, with a rich history and is located in an environmentally challenging, resource constrained corner of the planet. Being a young country, in the middle of a rapid urban growth... it has the opportunity to lead the way in leaps and bounds to a new and more sustainable way of life. In my view, carbon will inevitably grow its value in the long run, which means everyone must be prepared. Additionally, many countries which could potentially be dramatically impacted due to climate change are within close proximity to the UAE, and present the threat of irreversible changes, and drastic consequences (mass migration, with no chance of return, armed conflicts, collapse of societies etc.) The UAE’s government, is key in leading the way to avoid such a future, and I am proud ACWA Power is part of this change. 23

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

CASE STUDY

EGA Signs Research Agreement with AUS The research, which will study organic waste to improve soils in the UAE, is fully funded by the EGA.

mirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has signed an agreement with the American University of Sharjah (AUS) to research the use of organic wastes in improving soil properties for plant growth.

The research project will be the first to comprehensively investigate the potential of organic waste materials found in the UAE for use in biochar, and to analyse these biochar’s water and nutrient holding capabilities. The research project, valued at AED 630,000 is being funded by the EGA.

Scientists from the AUS College of Engineering will study the conversion of commonly-available organic wastes, such as food and agricultural wastes, into biochar, which is a highly-stable form of carbon that is used worldwide to improve the potential of soils to support plant life.

Industry experts estimate that at least 150 million tonnes of bauxite residue are produced worldwide each year. It is thought that less than two per cent of this is currently put to productive use.

The EGA is interested in the potential of combining biochar with bauxite residue to create soil for greening and other uses in the UAE. It is also working with The University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences to investigate the viability of using bauxite residue for this purpose. Bauxite residue will be a by-product of EGA’s under-construction Al Taweelah alumina refinery, once it begins production during the first half of 2019. 24

The EGA has also signed an agreement with Gulf Cement Company to supply a by-product from aluminium smelting over the next three years for use in cement manufacturing. It aims to directly supply 27,000 metric tonnes of spent pot lining by 2020 for use in the manufacture of cement. Under the new agreement, EGA will deliver 2,000 metric tonnes of spent pot lining to Gulf Cement Company in 2018. In 2019, the volumes will increase to 10,000 metric tonnes, followed by 15,000 metric tonnes in 2020.

Spent pot lining is the used inner lining of aluminium smelting pots, which is worn out and replaced every four to five years. It contains both carbon, which is an alternative fuel, and refractory materials that survive the firing process and become part of the finished cement. Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “This direct agreement with Gulf Cement Company is a milestone in our drive to turn our by-products into value by using them as feedstock for other industries. Finding economic uses for waste contributes to the achievement of ‘UAE Vision 2021’ environmental and economic goals and will benefit both our companies. We are glad to be working with Gulf Cement Company on this important project for the industrial sector in the UAE.” Globally, the aluminium industry produces more than one million tonnes of spent pot lining each year according to industry experts, and much is stored indefinitely. EGA has stockpiles of spent pot lining from previous years which will be gradually supplied to the cement industry.

Where stories happen Douglas Coupland Cassandra Clare Jane Hawking Peter Frankopan Jennifer Palmieri Ahmad AlShugairi Charles Cumming Ian Rankin Cixin Liu Jeff Kinney Clare Mackintosh + 150 more thought leaders, opinion formers, thinkers, and authors to intrigue, inform, astound and entertain.

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

InterContinental, Dubai Festival City | 1-9 March 2019 Buy your tickets now at www.emirateslitfest.com

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

products that will eventually end up in landfills or incinerators.

FEATURE

Redesigning the Future The Sustainabilist takes a look at the circular economy imperative.

circular economy is an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design. It replaces the end-of-life concept with restoration, shifts towards the use of renewable energy, eliminates the use of toxic chemicals, which impair reuse and return to the biosphere, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, systems and business models. Such an economy is based on a few simple values. First, at its core, a circular economy aims to eliminate waste. Waste does not exist: products are designed and optimised for a cycle of disassembly and reuse. These tight component and product cycles define the circular economy and set it apart from disposal and even recycling, where large amounts of embedded energy and labour are lost. Second, circularity introduces a strict 26

difference between consumable and durable components of a product. Unlike today, consumables in the circular economy are largely made of biological ingredients or ‘nutrients’ that are at least non-toxic and possibly even beneficial, and can safely be returned to the biosphere, either directly or in a cascade of consecutive uses. With waste becoming a growing problem and faced with a mounting concern for continuous environmental degradation attributed to human activities, the government and private sectors worldwide are examining all their actions in pursuit of prosperity and development. The ‘take, make, dispose’ industrial processes, known as the linear economy, and the lifestyle that feed on them have been inspected for putting pressure on finite resources just to manufacture

The linear economy has run out of shelf life and now a new direction towards a more sustainable future is sought. The circular economy model is a sustainable alternative. The concept refers to an industrial economy that curtails waste and pollution and whose systems are purposefully designed to be restorative and regenerative in nature for recycling and refurbishment purposes. The circular economy offers numerous opportunities to ensure sustainability and long-term growth. The concept leads to reduced waste by minimising heavy dependence on imports of raw materials; greater resource productivity; a more competitive economy; sustainability in resource utilisation; more employment opportunities; and decreased environmental impacts. In this age when waste is a growing problem — this concept will be a major advantage to global sustainability efforts. Why is it essential to adopt this concept? One reason is the growing waste management issue. In the UAE, for instance, an average resident produces 1.8 to 2.4 kilogram of waste per day, with 66 per cent of the total waste generated disposed in landfills. Dubai’s food waste alone accounts for 55 per cent of all waste generated in the Emirates. Dubai gets rid of 1,850 tonnes of food during the Holy Month of Ramadan; that is about one kilogram per resident. According to a report released by Eco-Waste Conference, the UAE was tipped to generate about 29 million tons of rubbish by 2017. To reverse this damaging pattern, the UAE has been tough in taking forward its ‘zero waste’ objective. The Emirates aims

Issue 13 | March 2019

to divert 75 per cent of waste from landfills by reusing and recycling by 2021. The authorities also propagate the habit of reuse and recycle. Dubai recycles 25 per cent of its waste, and this should increase to 75 per cent by 2021. To make a circular economy work requires a holistic approach, which includes a heavy emphasis on education within schools as well as other initiatives which engage and educate the general population. It is important for society to comprehend what is expected of them, in terms of behaviour around energy consumption, waste disposal and recycling. This requires a long-term approach to education and public engagement that is supported by our government on a national basis. It is by now fairly evident that a willingness to adopt more sustainable ways of living already exists within the general population. It is therefore important to ensure we convert it into positive action. A sustainable, circular economy will need transitioning towards sustainable consumption patterns. Globally, rampant consumerism is leading to sky high levels of consumption, in both the developed and developing world. These levels of

consumption are, in turn, distorting and destabilising what should be a balanced relationship between how things are made, consumed and disposed of. In the past, excessive consumption was viewed as a driver for economic growth. However, it is increasingly being recognised that this type of growth triggers resource depletion and climate change. In order to ensure effective functioning of the ecosystem and to maximise the yield of our resources, consumption should be regulated to meet needs and not wants. Industry leaders should envision and embrace a system that creates products with longer consumption life cycles, and the potential for recovery at the end of its useful life. In terms of manufacturing, this offers opportunities for innovation and creativity in product development, as well as sustainable sources for raw materials. A symbiotic relationship between waste management establishments, green energy providers and the wider business community is required to ensure the shift to a circular economy. It is an irrefutable fact that the challenges that lie ahead are significant. However, the UAE’s wise leadership inspires positive change in the region. As a rapidly growing country, the UAE’s adoption of a circular economy will enable and sustain growth, while setting an example for many others to follow.

What is a circular economy? In a circular economy, businesses, statutory authorities and individuals seek to maximise the inherent usefulness, as well as the value, of the energy that has been invested in a product, before eventually reintegrating it back into the economy. •

When an item reaches the end of its useful life, through reintegration, it can become the input to create new cash flow and enhance natural capital, instead of adding to the insurmountable issue of waste disposal.

•

Although global economic growth has historically been based on the linear model of “take, make and dispose”, circular approaches to innovation are increasingly viable due to advances in digital technologies and materials science.

Initiatives that support circular economy •

Dubai 3D Printing Strategy is focused on making Dubai a world leader in 3D printing by 2030 with focus on 3D printing for construction, medical products and consumer products. In fact, the strategy calls for 25% of Dubai’s buildings to be 3D printed by 2030.

•

According to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum ,Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, 70% of UAE’s current GDP is independent from oil.

•

Dubai, for instance, has announced the Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy, which targets 25% of all personal trips in Dubai to be via autonomous vehicles by 2030 with particular emphasis on shared modes of transportation.

•

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology: The Institute’s research strategy is in fact built on a foundation of advanced materials and smart systems capabilities, which are platform capabilities for circular innovation.

•

Specific examples include construction and building materials from steel manufacturing waste, biodiesel from waste cooking oil and sustainable aviation jet fuel from non-edible crops and seawater.

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

CASE STUDY

Responsible Business Two companies - UniSoap and Soap for Hope - are standing out as model corporate citizens in the UAE.

heir modus operandi is fairly simple, but designed to make an impact on the lives of many. The company’s mission is to collect partially used soaps from partner hotels and recycle them into new bars and redistribute it to the needy in an effort to promote hygiene and help the underprivileged. Most of us have seen cards in hotels requesting our attention on ecological conservation and protecting the environment. This has been successful in saving resources in various forms. One burning question that has often gone unaddressed, however, was a day in the life of a bar of soap. This was a different story altogether. The hotels often tend to replenish the stock daily. The guests use the soap and often

it is thrown away as waste. The concept of recycling soap bars is not new, but what it needs is enthusiastic participation. UniSoap and Soap For Hope are trying to spread this good habit in the hope that the idea would find traction and spread wider into society. On a more appropriate platform recycling soap could actually save the lives of millions of people, especially children, by protecting them against water borne diseases and diarrhea which kills millions of infants worldwide. Unisoap, a France based non-profit company, was founded in 2017, with the sole mission of collecting partially used soap bars from partner hotels and ensuring that they are recycled into new bars and redistributed to the needy in an effort to promote hygiene among the

underprivileged. It was argued by UniSoap that a typical 400-room hotel on average generates 3.5 tonnes of solid soap waste that usually ends up in the landfills and every day, 1.5 million soap bars are wasted by the hospitality industry. The company’s CEO, Ludovic Loffreda, then decided to step in and address the issue by focusing on three goals: a) to help the environment by reducing soap waste from hotels; b) assist in the prevention of hygiene-related diseases in emerging countries by raising public awareness and c) recruiting candidates with disabilities for soap recycling and developing local production units. UniSoap has now partnered with quite a few hotels in the UAE – Five Hotel; Four Seasons Dubai Resort Jumeirah Beach; Four Seasons, DIFC; Fairmont Ajman; Palazzo Versace, Dubai; TRYP

Issue 13 | March 2019

GREEN JOB

Sales Expert Can you lead Dubai’s transition to renewable energy? Your responsibilities will be to generate leads, take on client meetings, help find sponsorships for the UAE’s leading sustainability publications, present brand new ideas, hit your targets, and be part of making our sales and sponsorships plan happen. Ideally, you’ll excel under pressure, be ambitious, creative, and be super focused. If interested, please send your CV to : anofferyoucantrefuse@dcce.ae

by Wyndham; Majlis Grand Mercure Abu Dhabi to name but a few - to further this cause. UniSoap currently has non-profit facilities for soap recycling in Lyon, France and Dubai but it will soon be stretching its operations into Mongolia. Its partnership with Dubai Sustainable Tourism on November 20, 2017 lends added credibility towards its operations. Soap For Hope has similar objectives in Dubai. It is a part of the CSR initiative of a group called Diversey headed by Stefan Phang. The group has developed multistep processes that include collection of discarded soaps from the hotels to re-manufacture and package them for further distribution. This process has been implemented in 22 countries, including Dubai, partnering with 1000s

of hotels for supplies and many NGOs and communities to implement their visions which are - help hotels reduce waste, provide livelihood and the most importantly, save lives.

are collected from hotels, cut into cubes, sanitised with Sealed Air bleach solution, pressed into 500gm soap bricks, dried and cut into 60g bars, and distributed among under privileged communities.

The project, launched in Cambodia in October 2013 and has participation of over 50 hotels from the UAE/Middle East. Its approach is fixed towards saving lives by promoting a cleaner and healthier environment through people hand-washing with soap and to provide a means of livelihood for local communities through learning a new skill. At the centre of its core intentions lies the basis of helping hotels reduce waste by recycling used or discarded soap.

There’s a cycle in place of how the soap is remade. First, used soap is collected from hotels. Then Sealed Air, an arm of Diversey, transports the used soap to local communities, and teaches local people to re-process soap. This requires a cold- press method but no running water or electricity are needed. Remade soap bars are then distributed to communities that have limited access to basic hygiene amenities.

The Soap for Hope campaign focuses on a more alternative approach: soap flakes

If subjected to the recycling process, instead of being discarded in the waste bin, a bar of soap gets a second life. It then becomes the gift that keeps on giving. 29

Issue 13 | March 2019

CENTRE FOLD

UAE’s Last Plastic Straw UAE is joining the international conversation on banning plastic straws.

early a year ago, the organisers of Earth Day proclaimed ending plastic pollution as their main theme for the year. The immediate target of the movement were plastic straws. The campaign propagated globally, reaching UAE through residents’ actions, companies’ commitments and Plastic Free July. In 2015, a video depicting a straw being removed from a sea turtle’s nose became viral, being watched more than 11 million times. The impactful images put a small problem in a bigger context. In the past couple of decades, plastic straws have become ubiquitous accessories to ordering drinks. Most consumers disregard the fact that they are unnecessary and lack awareness around the consequences of using plastic straws.

500 million plastic straws are used daily only in the U.S. – enough to circle the Earth 2.5 times – is a number circulated by The Last Plastic Straw, a project of Plastic Pollution Coalition. The statistic has been since contested, with market research firms recently establishing the figure between 170 million and 390 million per day. What’s interesting about the 500 million statistic is its source: New York Times traced Milo Cress, who was 9 years old when he made the estimate in 2011 (as part of a personal environmental conservation campaign), as the person who shaped the conversation around plastic straws . Whether the real amount is 170 or 500 million, Milo Cress’ study aimed to draw attention on the impact of plastic straws, which cannot be denied. According to Australian scientists Denise Hardesty and Chris Wilcox, there are nearly 7.5 million

straws around the U.S. shorelines alone. Extrapolating the numbers globally, there might be between 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic straws on the entire world’s coastlines . Plastic straws were the 11th most found type of trash in the ocean in 2017. Straws make up 4 per cent of the plastic trash by piece, but far less by weight. If plastic straws represent such a small amount out of the entire plastic pollution, why has the issue been receiving so much attention? While technically plastic straws are recyclable, as they are made of polypropylene, most recyclers reject them because of their shape and size. Plastic straws can easily fall into the cracks and crevices of recycling machines. Alternatives to plastic straws include straws made of reusable plastic, acrylic, glass, metal, paper, bamboo, plant-based/ compostable, paper, or simply, no straw. 31

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

The negative contribution that plastic straws make to the overall plastic pollution and the lack of necessity convinced brands such as Starbucks, Disney, Hyatt, SeaWorld Entertainment, Marriott International to make pledges and take action to ban or limit the amount of plastic straws and stirrers being used in their facilities. Starbucks was among the first to step up and took the commitment to eliminate all plastic straws from their stores by 2020. The roll out of the campaign will begin in North America, where Starbucks estimates that its plan will eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws each year and will be deployed globally gradually. Companies in the UAE have also taken action, especially since reducing plastic usage is a key matter for UAE residents. According to a YouGov.ae study, 52% of UAE respondents showed great concern

with the use of plastic in their city (especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and 48% of UAE residents support a ban on drinking straws . Freedom Pizza were an early-adopter of the movement, and other restaurants have picked up the trend: Coya, The Royal Orchid, Gates Hospitality group. Other brands have opted for creative solutions: Basta in Business Bay introduced pasta straws for guests to use. Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, which was going through 750,000 straws a year at the Pearl Jumeirah location, will replace plastic straws with bio-pla straws made of polyactic acid (PLA) or cornstarch, 100% certified biodegradable. Showing similar passion to Milo Cress, more than 100 students from GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai visited restaurants in Dubai in October last year to convince them to discontinue plastic straws or make them available only when

customers ask. Their initiative was inspired by a school visit from Azraq, a local not-for-profit marine organisation, who was implementing a campaign to convince restaurants to ban plastic straws. Chili’s and Joe’s Crab Shack in Dubai Mall, Barbeque Nation, Daily Restaurant, Peshwa Restaurant, Sthan and Jaffer Bhai’s in Karama were among the restaurants that were impacted by the students’ campaign. While banning plastic straws might be just a dent in the overall plastic pollution that is being produced, it is a step in the right direction. The biggest victories of the campaigns which have been launched and implemented in the past year are the level of awareness achieved about the unnecessary waste being produced and how simple it is to take action and change the mindset. What will be next after plastic straws?

Photo Credit: shutterstock / Dudarev Mikhail

Optimise your Assets

WATER TECHNOLOGIES

Veolia technologies protect the environment through sustainable treatment solutions. Veolia Water Technologies has the capability to transform your wastewater into a valuable resource. > Maximise treatment capacity and water reuse > Achieve carbon and whole life cost reduction > Optimise energy recovery www.veoliawatertechnologies.com

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Tadweer Capitalises on their CSR Programs

The aim is to spread awareness on protecting the environment and minimising damage from increasing waste.

or long considered to be a pioneering environmental company in the Middle East, Tadweer provides cutting edge solutions to integrated waste management. They target their services to municipalities, governments, private sector and citizens alike, with an aim towards protecting the environment and creating awareness by minimising the damage arising from increasing waste in Dubai. Established in 2006, Tadweer receives support from the Dubai Municipality as their strategic partner. Tadweer is also a conscious corporate citizen and demonstrates accountability, model social behavior and responsibility

while delivering on the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Tadweerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibilities dove tail into the long term strategic plan for the UAE. Tadweer pioneers two predominant CSR activities. They are, namely, their sorting at source programs and the education and awareness programs. While focusing on the sorting at source programs, Tadweer espouses that sustainable social development is based on taking a number of small steps in the right direction. The processes applied have benefits such as protecting the health and welfare of the community from adverse environmental effects associated with the

handling and disposal of wastes. A sustainable waste management strategy, provides for waste management facilities and enforces waste sorting at source programs. More importantly, Tadweer aims to spread the concept of waste sorting at source by designing and implementing waste management programs among Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public. Segregating waste at source ensures that half the battle is won. This ensures that the problems faced in managing solid waste reduces considerably. Both time and money are saved by this approach, the only element required is responsible and accountable behavior.

Issue 13 | March 2019

The Awareness & Educational programmes ensures that organisations and schools join in promoting waste management within their premises. Tadweer’s partners come from private and public sectors, government and schools. Tadweer’s vision is not just commercial. It aims to increase awareness in waste reduction, initiating conversations in recycling and resources through educational partnership and industry leadership.

field sustained by the benefits and gains introduced by this project in the areas of environment, economy and industry. Since the commencement of the Tadweer Awareness & Educational programmes over 6,000 children have visited their premises with over 120 sessions and workshops being conducted to raise awareness in waste source segregation and hygiene of the city. Tadweer’s concentration on youth has helped raise awareness and comprehend the

importance of reducing the generation of waste. Tadweer believes in the philosophy that since we all produce waste we need to take responsibility for it. Waste, acccording to Tadweer, is not the responsibility of someone who manages, or disposes it for others. Tadweer are calling for this concept to spread in order to ensure that the citizens of Dubai are responsible for their waste.

Tadweer focuses on decreasing the waste in environmental resources and the energy of scientific power. This puts Dubai among the most developed cities in this

“

Tadweer believes in the philosophy that since we all produce waste we need to take responsibility for generation of waste.

“

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

CASE STUDY

RAK Stays Committed to Recycling

Reducing the amount of wasted heat as well as reusing it has been a matter of great concern for the past couple of decades.

he Government of Ras Al Khaimah has completed a foreign direct investment (FDI) deal with India’s Shree Cement for the acquisition of the emirate’s Union Cement Company (UCC). The former UCC operated in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Prior to acquisition by Shree Cement, the UCC was a listed company on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. It has now been de-listed from ADX and converted into a private joint stock company. One of the UCC’s highlighted features was the installation and operation of a waste heat

recovery system (WHRS) consisting of 4 clinker production lines to produce different cement products for the market. The (WHRS) was installed to produce electricity for the entire facility. It is important to note that the process of cement production is highly energy intensive with approximately 3-4-GJ energy consumption per ton of cement produced. Moreover, energy costs are responsible for 25% of total production costs, whereas 75% of primary energy usage is thermal energy. However, the process is characterised by

a significant amount of heat loss mainly by the flue gases and the air stream used for cooling down the clinker. Waste heat is generated by a fuel combustion process or chemical reactions and then dumped into the environment although it could still be reused for some useful and economic purposes. Reducing the amount of wasted heat as well as reusing it has been a matter of great concern for the past couple of decades. A heat recovery system could increase the efficiency of the cement plant as well as reduce the amount of CO2 emissions to the environment by lowering the temperature of the exhaust gases. Therefore, the produced zero emission

Issue 13 | March 2019

electricity, by the waste heat recovery system, will substitute a part of the fossil fuel based electricity consumption by the facility.

electricity for the years (2008-2010) was approximately 1,023,956 MWh an annual average consumption of 341,319 MWh (1,023,956/3 = 341,319).

The waste heat recovery system encompasses two preheater boilers and one air quenching cooler boiler to produce steam, which powers a steam turbine with a generator to produce electricity. The annually generated zero emission electricity of around 82,086 MWh, produced by the waste heat recovery system, was replaced by the current electricity consumption from the fossil fuel based grid and captive power plant, which resulted in initial emission reductions of 59,361 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Around 58 % of this electricity consumption was covered by the captive power plant and the rest covered by the FEWA grid.

The purpose of the project: Prior to the start of the implementation of the project activity the cement facility included 4 production lines, which were standard equipped with a preheater system, rotary kiln and air quenching cooler. The waste heat recovery system, which represents the project activity, was installed within production line 4. The cement production line 4 was, prior to this, equipped with a double string preheater system at the beginning of the rotary kiln and with an air cooling quenching system at the end, whereby the total waste energy, generated during the clinker burning process, is released into the atmosphere. The total required electricity for the entire UCC cement facility was supplied from the captive power plant (utilising gas turbines with generator) and from the FEWA1 electricity grid. The total consumed

Following implementation of the project the waste heat recovery system is using the currently-not-recovered waste heat from the clinker process via rotary kiln of line 4 to produce non-fossil fuel based electricity to the entire UCC facility. The waste heat recovery system encompasses two preheater boilers, one air quenching cooler boiler, one steam turbine and one generator to transform the waste heat into electricity. The energy production was speculated to fall to approximately 82,086 MWh. Prior to the implementation of the project the electricity supply for the entire cement facility was based on fossil fuels, which is identified as the baseline scenario. The proposed project activity also aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project activity uses the exhaust gas of the clinker production process via rotary kiln, of line 4, at the stage of the preheater and air cooling system via a waste heat recovery system, to produce non-fossil fuel based electricity for the electricity consumption of the entire UCC facility. Previously, in the absence of the project activity, the total electricity consumption of the UCC facility was based on fossil fuel electricity only. The fossil fuel based electricity causes CO2 emissions, due to the burning of fossil fuel, which were

released into the atmosphere. The nonfossil based generated electricity by the WHRS substitutes a part of the fossil fuel based electricity consumption of the entire UCC facility. Therefore the activity reduces greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuelbased electricity with waste heat streambased electricity, which causes no greenhouse gas emissions.

This project therefore, is credited with contributing directly to sustainable development in the following manner: • Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions due to replacement of fossil fuel based electricity via waste heat recovery systembased electricity, thus combating the anthropogenic greenhouse gas effect. Reduction of other pollutants such as NOx, SO2 and dust emissions due to reduced use of fossil fuel based electricity in the project activity, thus improving the local environment. • Increasing the plant efficiency by using a waste resource (waste heat), thereby reducing UAE’s overall energy generation requirements. • The project was a successful example of using waste heat to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby potential replication opportunities in other cement plants in the UAE.

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

Fernandez said, “I chose to work with schools because children connect 100 per cent with nature and are more empathetic. They participate wholeheartedly. Children are absolute ambassadors. Parents also enjoyed and appreciated the work that I did and they joined with me. There was total support from the school and this awareness also spread to other schools.” The mural is a depiction of the hidden value of what most associate with waste. The upcycling of single plastic bottle caps created a unique piece of art that served the school community in multiple ways. The mural is not only a clear symbol of a creative waste management process, but by involving the youth, it is also a representation of the change that the new generation will aim to focus on.

SCHOOL

Inspiring the Future

Dubai GEMS Modern Academy students built a mural out of plastic cups to spread environmental awareness.

nspired by the 14th UN Development Goal to, “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”, environmental campaigner and graphic designer, Gina Fernandez engaged students of Dubai GEMS Modern Academy to create a mural made of plastic caps. The beautiful mural depicts a killer whale diving into a lovely sunset. It was carefully crafted by collecting 5,000 plastic caps from

hundreds of schoolchildrens’ homes in just two weeks. Fernandez aims to spread environmental awareness and change students’ perceptions on the idea of waste. By educating the younger generation, she hopes to build sustainable change regarding the irresponsible attitude around waste that commonly disregards its value. Speaking to The Sustainabilist, Gina

The colourful mural also serves as an inspiring call for awareness on how the general population deals with waste. Recently, it was estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish if industries and the general population don’t change their ways. The school has also made an effort to reject plastic bags by embracing the benefits of jute bags. GEMS Modern Academy is also involved in a number of other initiatives to create more sensitivity around waste and the environment, such as the Sensorial Garden project. This project aims to create organic compost for the KG class to use during their planting activity by collecting food and plant waste in bins emplaced by the school. Fernandez hopes that by spreading awareness in creative ways, starting from the younger generation, change in attitudes towards waste will not only be sustainable, but collective.

Issue 13 | March 2019

TOP TIPS

Reducing Waste in Business Stop providing disposable cutlery to staff. Use durable flatware and cutlery and urge employees to bring in their own dishes.

Reduce paper usage by printing on both sides of the paper or making double-sided copies whenever possible.

Make it convenient for employees to reuse paper for printing by filling the printer with paper already used on one side.

Use emails for interoffice messages. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use paper or sticky notes.

Encourage consumers to recycle or reuse packaging by leaving a message on the box.

Issue 13 | March 2019

CASE STUDY

Washmen Do the Recyling

A laundry company offers customers recycling services with every order.

ashmenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (www.washmen. com) USP is to simply provide quality laundry and dry clean services, but their modus operandi, coupled with an inventive approach (reliance on mobile apps) and modest pricing structure has made them the talk of the town in the UAE. The Washmen tech offering comes in the form of a laundry and dry cleaning application (available on iOS and Android) where customers can request pickups and drop offs within 30-minute time windows in Dubai and pay in-app using a credit card. Washmen founder Rami Shaar had once worked as Logistics & Operations Manager at Uber in the UAE. He grew operations across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Rami also spent four years in investment banking and private equity. Rami then started imagining a life in the business of laundry and wondered why the industry could be so painful wherein

it involved unreliable deliveries, manual coordination and quality that lacked transparency on clothes treatment, or hygiene. The idea was soon shared with a colleague, over time funding was sought, found and Washmen was born. But not everything in Washmen is about the business of laundry services. They have taken their bouquet of services a step further by offering customers recycling services with every laundry order. The Washmen Home recycling Program, a novel facility for customers, was launched in April this year. Essentially Washmen collects and recycles all home plastic and paper and reuse all Washmen bags and hangers for a fee of AED1 on every laundry order. Plastic waste (bottles), paper waste (cardboards) and Washmen waste (hangers) are accepted while glass waste, tin cans and food waste are refused. If no laundry order is

placed, then a minimum fee of AED45 is imposed on the customer. A total of three recycling bags can be sent with a single order and they are placed in the Washmen bags used for the laundry. If items that are not acceptable are found then the bags will be refused. The recyclables are taken to the Washmen facility and placed into specific containers that are then managed by Greentruck, a partner in the recycling program. In their own quirky style and approach to all things business, Washmen are trying to drive home the point that one doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need big budgets and analysts to take action in the movement against waste and recycling. Agility and mindset is the driving force. The point they are making is if a young tech company with lean resources and low operating margins can do it, then literally any company has the power to do something. 41

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Clean Up Arabia Takes a Deep Dive

shutterstock.com

The aim is to ‘learn together, work together and play together,’ creating the change to make the difference.

he Emirates Diving Association (EDA) EDA has been leading the Clean Up Arabia campaign since 1995. A voluntary project, the aim is to clean up dive sites and beaches in the UAE – and other GCC countries – from garbage and waste. Clean Up Arabia is part of the Clean Up The World programme that is promoted and managed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and takes place each year in November. The campaign is made up of EDA members and sponsors that participate in dive site and coastal clean ups which help shape the consciousness concerning littering and saying ‘no’ to single use plastics. The aim is to ‘learn together, work together and play together,’ creating the change to make the difference. Essa Al Ghurair, EDA Chairman said, 42

“The annual Clean Up Arabia campaign is the ideal opportunity to spread awareness concerning our marine environment. We also want to highlight the UAE’s efforts in doing so. Involving local communities allows members to make positive impacts. It provides people with a sense of purpose and achievement that they can make a difference for change.“We ask that residents across the region take action and keep beaches and dive sites clear of marine debris to make trash free seas a reality. Change starts with us. If we all take part in collecting some of the rubbish we see, we’ll make all the difference to improve the oceans’ health.” The campaign which has been running since EDA’s inception in 1995, clears beaches and key dive sites from harmful debris and raises public awareness about the negative impact pollution can have on human health and marine life. It seeks to eliminate single use plastics from everyday

life and free the sea from rubbish and pollution which destroys marine life. The annual trash collections are registered by each clean up team and sent to the Ocean Conservancy by filling out the ICC (International Coastal Cleanup) forms so that the number of items collected in the UAE is shared and tracked further to gauge if there is an improvement every year. The EDA carries this work out along with the volunteers who are provided with T-shirts and caps, as well as the necessary clean up tools needed to achieve the task at hand. Clean up Arabia has been a major event that has joined more than 1,000 people to annually clean dive sites and coastlines. Each year, the EDA counts incredible amounts of debris/plastic, but since previous years the numbers have not

Issue 13 | March 2019

organisation which is accredited by UNEP as an International Environmental organisation. Its mission is to conserve, protect and restore the UAE’s marine resources by empathising and promoting the marine environment and environmental diving.

“

Clean Up Arabia is backed by the Australia’s ‘Clean Up The World’ campaign, the USA based Ocean Conservancy’s ‘International Coastal Clean-up’ and PADI’s Project AWARE. It is run with the collaboration of UNEP YouthXchange West Asia (Shabab) (United Nations Environment Programme – Regional Office of West Asia/UNEP – ROWA). The Clean Up Arabia campaign has been running annually for the past 22 years between Dive Clean Ups – involving all the UAE registered dive centres with boats to clean up UAE dive sites and Beach Clean Ups, which includes the nondivers to the initiative. It will commence in November and is being sponsored by Platinum sponsor Majid Al Futtaim with more sponsors to be finalised later. The EDA is a non-profit voluntary federal

“

declined and this needs to change.

The campaign which has been running since EDA’s inception in 1995, clears beaches and key dive sites from harmful debris and raises public awareness about the negative impact pollution can have on human health and marine life.

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES: • Engage the community and involve people from all walks of life to make a difference. • Rid the marine environment from pollution. • Direct people toward positive attitudes in maintaining a clean and sound environment by practice and participation. • To record the quantities and types of debris collected each year and to make comparisons with the previous data collections. • Data collected is reported to the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) and used in educating the public, businesses, industries and government officials about the marine debris problem we face in the UAE and neighbouring GCC.

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Building in a Sustainable Way The consequences of rising construction and demolition waste might affect the entire ecosystem â&#x20AC;&#x201C; soil, water, and air.

he construction and demolition waste (C&D) accounts for 70% of the total weight of solid waste, with Dubai producing nearly 5,000 tonnes of C&D waste every day. In the case of specific industries or projects, some owners manage to reduce the waste. According to a study by the Institution of Civil Engineers done between March and August 2018, the rate of waste recycling for the largest hospitality projects was 84%. Considering that the number of construction projects is on the rise, it is expected that this type of waste is going to become more prevalent. The C&D waste can be produced at every stage of the implementation of the project: contractual, design, procurement, transportation, on-site management and planning, material storage and handling, site operation and residual. The consequences of rising C&D waste might affect the entire ecosystem â&#x20AC;&#x201C; soil, water, and air, which can negatively impact the quality of resources in general. One of the ways to prevent the amount of C&D produced is the application of sustainability rating systems. LEED, Pearl Rating System for Estidama and EHS Trakhees are the systems offered in UAE . LEED is a set of regulations that imposes the project owner to develop and implement waste management plans. Reuse and recycle methods can provide additional credit points. EHS Trakees green building department is the regulatory wing of Port, Customs, Free zone Corporation (PCFC) jurisdiction. It enforces its green building regulations on all new construction projects of the jurisdiction. The Pearl Rating System for Estidama is the mandatory requirement under

Issue 13 | March 2019

Dubai Municipality established green building regulations by issuing building permits for projects within its jurisdiction. All new buildings must divert at least 50% of C&D waste through reuse and recycle strategies. In November 2018, Dubai Municipality invited the companies in the industry for the 6th International Conference for Sustainable Construction Materials under the theme, “Building the Future – Construction Technology of Tomorrow”. Khalid Sharif Al Awadhi, CEO of Dubai Municipality for Environment, Health and Safety Sector delivered the opening speech and emphasised the initiatives that Dubay Municipality has implemented such as projects and laws related to sustainability, including in many areas such as sustainable urban planning, environment, waste water treatment, solid waste management, thermal insulation, energy conservation, green building and its evaluation system (Al Saafaat), in order to reach the ultimate goal of making Dubai a sustainable green city. He encouraged the companies to focus on ways to find smart technologies in the development of construction materials, products and systems. What are the options that construction companies have in diminishing the amount of C&D waste? According to a report issued by the Institution of Civil Engineers, there are several strategies

that can be applied to reduce waste: at the options appraisal stage, considering opportunities to refurbish existing assets (instead of redeveloping), using existing space more efficiently, forecasting waste and identifying the top opportunities for waste reduction

“

The construction and demolition waste (C&D) accounts for 70% of the total weight of solid waste, with Dubai producing nearly 5,000 tonnes of C&D waste every day.

“

the sustainability initiative of Urban Planning Council (UPC) Abu Dhabi which enforces the diversion of a minimum of 30% of C&D waste through recycling.

and reuse, focusing attention on reducing wastage rates to good practice level for the 5-10 most wasted products/components in the waste forecast, seeking early contractor involvement in identifying and

vetting low waste solutions. In case the production of C&D waste is inevitable, there are dedicated recycling facilities. Opened in September 2018, Tadweer opened a new operation in Ghayathi with a minimum processing capacity of 31,000 tonnes of aggregate per month. The existing stock piles and incoming waste intended for recycling will be processed by a mobile crusher. Dr Salem Al Kaabi, acting GM, Tadweer, said at the launch: “The opening of the Ghayathi recycling facility is aligned with our strategic plan to implement a world-class waste management system in Abu Dhabi and position the UAE at the forefront of innovative recycling. At Tadweer, we continue to develop practical solutions to enhance the effectiveness of construction and demolition waste management. This helps us preserve our environment and reduce the pollution caused by construction activities, while creating new investment opportunities in integrated waste management.” A special station for handling C&D waste was also opened in Umm Al Quwain, Al Medfaq area, operated by Dulsco. The site is already operational and it is expected to significantly reduce the negative impact of this sort of waste on the environment, according to Musabih Humaid, director of the UAQ department of public works and services . Construction companies in the UAE need to reconsider their strategy in preventing the creation of C&D waste and use the available solutions for recycling and reuse. 45

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Waste None Effort for Your Experience

more and more aware of the impact of their choices on the enviroment. According to a report by Booking.com, 87% of the respondents stated they want to travel sustainably.

Jumeirah Group is being ahead of the curve through an organisation-wide strategy and through particular, property-focused initiatives.

Jumeirah Group is committed to being a sustainable option for their customers, aligning to the organisation’s own core values, as well as international and local standards. Operating 22 properties in eight countries, with 13,500 staff members from 140 countries, reducing waste is one of the key aspects of the sustainability programs started in 1997. Examples of reducing the carbon footprint and waste on premises of property include: use of energy-saving lights internally and externally, climate control technologies within various areas of hotels and resorts, recycling and reducing waste for paper, cardboard, spent cooking oil, print cartridges, batteries, IT hardware and coat hangers.

n 2017, the International Tourism Partnership issued the Hotel Global Decarbonisation Report which stated that the hotel sector must reduce its carbon footprint by 90% by 2050 in order to align to the Paris Agreement . In August 2018, 12 Steps Towards Sustainability, a manual created by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing was designed to guide hotels. The program included four pillars: energy, water, waste and engagement. “With more than 700

hotels operating in the first six months of 2018 alone, Dubai undoubtedly has the potential to strategically position itself as a landmark for sustainability by ensuring all hotel properties are engaging in responsible practices.” Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director, Tourism Development and Investments, Dubai Tourism, said to the press on the occasion. The pressure on the hospitality industry is growing and travelers are becoming

Issue 13 | March 2019

most favoured option Jumeirah Group has set up a comprehensive waste management plan whose purpose is to limit the amount of generated waste on the property. All suppliers and vendors are required to limit quantities of materials and packaging to only those necessary. The process consists of hierarchical steps, with a focus on prevention, minimisation, re-use, recycling, energy recovery, disposal in the landfill being considered the last resort. Jumeirah Group practices a variety of tactics to ensure that waste is avoided, from estimating and ordering the required quantities of supplies to establishing a buy back scheme with key suppliers (if there is an option for the supplier to take back the packing material) and to avoiding the use of disposable materials (drinking cups, batteries etc.) In June 2018, The National estimated that AED13 billion worth of food is being wasted by businesses and customers in the country. The hospitality industry is considered to be one of the main contributors to the issue. It may seem an unsurmountable challenge to balance the desire to offer customers the best buffets and the goal to reduce waste. Hilton Dubai Jumeirah understood that food waste is inevitable to some degree, but that it’s important to start by reducing it. A simple, user-friendly monitoring system was implemented in the kitchen, allowing staff to enter information on the type and amount of food that was being discarded. Daily reports showed trends of products which were favored by customers, providing the hotel the data necessary to create a desirable offering, while also reducing waste. The hotel witnessed incredible results after 12 weeks of implementing the pilot: there was a cut in the food waste by 70%, which

PREVENTION MINIMISATION REUSE RECYCLING ENERGY RECOVERY DISPOSAL least favoured option

would translate in US$65,000 saved per year and 25,000 meals a year saved from being thrown away . Madinat Jumeirah is tackling the issue of food waste through the Bokashi Composting Programme. The term “Bokashi” is a Japanese word that means “fermented organic matter.” Bokashi offers a simple, yet effective composting system whereby all food waste (raw & cooked) is recycled using an anaerobic process. The Bokashi compost is producing about 70 kg of compost weekly that is then used for the herb garden in Magnolia restaurant and for growing the fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, sweet melons, rock melons, chillies, celery, carrots, broccoli, spring onions, parsley, basil, zucchinis, radish water melon cucumbers and oregano in Jumeirah Beach Hotel .

Eco-conscious practices include a partnership with a Dubai-based water treatment company to reduce single-use plastics. Guests are offered locallysourced filtered still and sparkling water in their own personal reusable bottles that can be refilled at the resort’s water stations. The resort has also eliminated the use of plastic straws, favouring straws made from recycled material. “Our commitment to protecting the natural sand dunes and sea around this hotel means that we are also continuously trying to minimise the impact that guests have on this environment by bringing in our own environmentally-friendly solutions and working with partners who are dedicated to employing sustainable, ethical practices in their businesses,” said Linda Griffin, Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, General Manager, at the launch of the resort .

December 2018 marked another milestone for the hospitality group with the launch of Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, the group’s first luxury “eco-conscious” resort. The design of the resort took into consideration the aspects of the location, situated next to unique beaches and wildlife environment.

Through its comprehensive system of tracking, managing and reusing waste, Jumeirah Group is demonstrating its alignment to international and local standards, and its dedication to a greater goal, to prove that an unforgettable traveling experience does not have to cost the environment. 47

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

FEATURE

Bee’ah Is Breaking New Ground in Waste Management

Bee’ah has ambitious plans to place Sharjah on the map of sustainability, as the Environmental Capital of the Middle East.

ee’ah’s mission is to become the leading environmental management partner in the Middle East. Integrated waste management is one of the key areas of focus in achieving its mission, of providing sustainable solutions in environmental and resource management. “Right from its inception, Bee’ah has driven the ambition of achieving a circular economy in the UAE, and of zero diversion of waste to landfills in Sharjah.” HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah, commented when the Bee’ah Material Recovery Facility became the largest producer of recovered plastics in the world . Bee’ah collects about three million tonnes of waste from across the UAE every year and in 2018, it processed more than 1.7 million tonnes of waste

just in Sharjah. Bee’ah’s is revolutionising the waste management industry through strong leadership, innovative approach and its three divisions. Bee’ah Tandeef covers two main types of activities: municipal collection and cleansing across several regions of the UAE for millions of residents, and commercial collection, working with clients across Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ajman. Collected waste is processed at the Bee’ah Waste Management Centre at Al Saj’ah and reintegrated into the economy. Tandeef is renowned for having implemented smart solutions for integrated waste management, such as geo-tagged smart bin sensors and automated route optimisation, advanced fleet consisting of eco-friendly vehicles,

solar-powered smart bins, which act as Wi-Fi hotspots, while being directly linked to Bee’ah’s control room for fast & efficient waste collection. Bee’ah Tadweer is the Waste Sorting and Treatment division, focusing on processing waste in a way that allows products to be recycled, recovered, regenerated and integrated back in the economy, thus supporting a sustainable cycle. The Waste Management Centre hosts a compost plant which processes organic and vegetation waste and a number of recycling facilities, covering materials such as paper, plastic, tyres, rubber, vechicles, metal, electronic waste, industrial liquid waste, construction & demolition waste etc. Bee’ah is encouraging recycling through its Bee’ah Rewards program. Between

Issue 13 | March 2019

collected, certify that recycling has definitely become an integral part of the lives of many of our residents.” Bee’ah Tadweer also includes the Tyre Recycling Facility - which has the only cryogenic system in the Middle East and reclycles around 3,000,000 tyres annually - the Construction & Demolition Waste Recycling – which processes 500,000 tonnes of waste annually, the Liquid Waste Recycling Facility – separating oil and waste from water, which is then is used for irrigation and energy purposes.

“

Right from its inception, Bee’ah has driven the ambition of achieving a circular economy in the UAE.

“

January 2017, when the program was launched during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, and June 2018, Bee’ah collected over 250,000 recyclable plastic bottles and metal cans. The program combined innovation and incentives: Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) are placed in malls government institutions, universities and airports across the UAE, where residents could deposit their recyclable waste and win prizes worth more than AED 200,000. At the time, Fahad Shehail, Group Chief of Staff at Bee’ah, shared this with the press, “As an environmental management company that is committed to creating a sustainable future for the UAE, we have made it our goal to engage communities in activities that will have a tangible impact. Within a short time, the Bee’ah Rewards programme has made great strides towards achieving this goal. The number of participants in the programme over the last year, and rapid growth in the number of recyclables

Tadweer also has a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) which is the third largest in the world and the largest in the Middle East. The MRF is a specialized facility that sorts and separates recyclable materials from municipal solid waste, through mechanical and manual processes. It has an annual capacity of 600,000 tons, processing around 2000 tons, daily, of which an estimated 70% is being recycled and thus, diverted from the landfill. In early 2018, the MRF became one of the world’s largest producers of recovered plastics, following the installation of an advanced retrofit in earier that year. The facility

achieved this impressive feat by recovering 69 million pieces of plastic materials, equalling 1700 tonnes . The third branch handling waste management is the Bee’ah Residuals Management, a strategic system for the disposal of residual waste. One of the greatest achievements is having the highest rate of diversion from landfill, in the Middle East. Al Saj’ah, one of the largest landfills in the world, has been operated by Bee’ah since 2009 and has since become the only fully engineered landfill in the region which complies with international standards. Bee’ah also created a joint venture with Green Planet, a premier medical waste management facility, Wekaya, which specialized specializes in the safe collection, treatment and disposal of medical waste. Bee’ah is aiming to break new frontiers through the joint venture established with Masdar in 2017, Emirates Waste to Energy Company. The new organisation will manage a new US$220 million waste-to-energy centre to be built in Sharjah. The waste-to-energy facility will be operation by 2020 and it is expected to process more than 37.5 tonnes of municipal solid waste an hour by burning it to generate electricity. According to Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah, the site would be a significant contribution to reaching the UAE’s target of diverting 75 per cent of its solid waste from landfills by 2021, and Sharjah’s goal of sending no waste to landfill. The transformation of energy systems that Bee’ah is pursuing is aiming to establish a benchmark in sustainability and Sharjah as Environmental Capital of the Middle East. 51

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

RESEARCH

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Talk Rubbish!

First, collection trucks bring them to a recycling facility, where they are unloaded onto an area called...

Scan here to comment!

Did you know that plastic can only be downcycled as it loses its strength in the process?

Did you know that glossy paper is an enemy of recycling?

PAPER

PLASTIC

Paper reycables are baled, and then sold primarily to paper mills.

Mixed plastic is sorted by type and color. Air is blown into the mix to separate heavier and lighter plastics.

Some mills use 100% recycled paper with wood scraps from lumber mills.

In some facilities, plastic containers are optically scanned for separation into types, such as PET, HSPE, etc.

The two are mixed to a pulp and poured onto large rollers. Once a sheet forms, it is drained, fed through heated rollers, trimmed, and wrapped into rolls.

Baled, recycled plastics are sent to a plastics remanufacturing plant. The plastics are ground up, washed , melted and formed into plastic pellets for reuse.

How much is waste worth?

(Indicative values for comparability and benchmarking only)

Mixed (AED/tonne)

180

PLASTIC

PAPER Segregated (AED/tonne)

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

300-550

Segregated (AED/tonne)

500-850

recycling facility, where they are unloaded onto an area called...

Issue 13 | March 2019

...The tipping floor

They are placed on conveyor belts and sorted

Did you know that colored glass is harder to recycle?

GLASS

Did you know that Aluminium (very valuable) when turned into cans is made into an alloy that reduces it values?

METAL

First the glass recycables are crushed and cleaned of debris and contaminants.

Magnets separate the steel into a storage bin for bailing. The remaining Aluminum is then separated by an eddy current.

The crushed glass, referred to as cullet, is loaded onto trucks for transport to a variety of applications, (eg. road bedding)

Cans are crushed and baled for transport. Aluminum is melted and either rolled into sheets or poured into ingots.

To make new containers, the cleaned cullets is mixed with sand, soda ash, feldspar and limestone at a glass plant. This mixture is fed into a furnace.

Tin and steel are recovered through chemical and electrolysis baths. They are purified, and cast into ingots. The steel is heated and poured into sheets.

GLASS

METAL

Segregated (AED/tonne)

50-100

Segregated (AED/tonne)

1300-4000 53

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

DISRUPTOR

Energy Economics The Sustainabilist looks at the new emerging and exciting source of waste to energy in the UAE - camel manure.

onventionally animal manure has been used as a fertilizer, though today dung is collected and used to produce biogas. This gas is rich in methane and is used in rural areas of the subcontinent like India/ Pakistan and other parts of the world to provide a renewable and stable source of electricity. Among other things, dung is cheap, renewable, and readily available. It produces less pollution than results from the burning of fossil fuels. Before it is burned, dung can be used in the production of biogas. Dung, as odd as it may seem, may be one of the major fuels of the future. According to the International Energy Agency, bioenergy (biogas and biomass) have the potential to meet more

than a quarter of world demand for transportation fuels by 2050. Biomass is the substance derived from recently living objects, which includes plants, animals and their derivatives. Manure, garden waste and crop deposits are all sources of biomass. It is a renewable energy source based on the carbon cycle, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal and nuclear fuels. Another source includes animal waste, which is a persistent and unavoidable pollutant produced primarily by the animals housed in industrial-sized farms. According to a Research paper: Biogas potential for electricity generation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (authors: Akinleye Sowunmi, Richard Michael Mamone, JuanRodrigo Bastidas Oyanedel & Jens Ejbye Schmidt) in 2009, the Government of Abu

Dhabi pledged to generate 7 % of its total power output from renewable sources of energy by 2020. The administration relied on the properties of biomethane, considered a viable option, to achieve this goal. The purpose of this function was to estimate the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;biogas to electricityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; potential from nine different biomasses found in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, (sheep dung, goat dung, cattle dung, camel dung, print paper, newspaper, carton paper, food waste, and animal waste blood). Animal manure, especially from that of the camel and the horse, was going to waste in the Gulf countries for quite a few years. This part of the world is their natural habitat with the camel population being the highest per unit land mass area in the world.

Issue 13 | March 2019

These biomasses are considered to be waste, and they were selected for their organic content and relative abundance in the Emirate. The objective was accomplished through experimental work measuring the biomethane potential of the nine biomasses and the estimation of their availability in the Emirate. Food waste had the highest biomethane potential yield of 517.36 mL-CH4/gVSadded at standard conditions of temperature and pressure (STP), while newspaper had the lowest yield of 76.6 mL-CH4/g-VSadded STP, despite its high cellulose content. Varying levels of inhibition were also observed across the biomasses. An estimation of the total biomethane potential showed that the nine biomasses are able to provide 6 % of domestic electricity use in Abu Dhabi and 1.9 % of renewable energy commitment, with food waste contributing the highest fraction (51%) and paper waste having the highest specific electricity potential (0.94 kWh/t). In order to minimise the environmental impact of its oilfield operations, the BP Sharjah Oil Company, way back in 2002, had started using camel dung and grass clippings to clean up oil spillages. The treatment uses the natural bacteria found in the dung of locally grazing camels to degrade the hydrocarbon content of the

“

According to the International EnergyAgency, bioenergy (biogas and biomass) have the potential to meet more than a quarter of world demand for transportation fuels by 2050.

“

The UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar have the highest camel population per unit land mass at the global level, producing millions of tons of manure annually but, sadly, all were going to waste. There was only one instance where BP was using camels’ manure in Sharjah (UAE) for the decomposition of hydrocarbon leaked in the soil/water.

The dung to energy process can be broken down in fairly simplistic terms. The animal manure generates biogas which is then applied for the creation of biofuel or biomethane. Biomethane is a 100% renewable energy source produced by the natural breakdown of organic material: green waste, household waste, agricultural waste, food industry waste and even industrial waste. The process of breaking down this material in an oxygen-free environment produces biogas, which is then purified to become biomethane. This can then be used as a vehicle fuel, distributed in the mains gas supply or used to generate green power. First-generation biomethane produced by

soil, eventually leaving it non-hazardous.

decomposition comes from the anaerobic

For a long time in the UAE the common misconception prevailing around camel manure was that it had no value as a fertilizer, or an energy inducing component. Research has now shown, however, that camel manure has the identical effective properties as cow manure which has been used as a generator of fuel.

is the result of the natural breakdown of

Camel manure decays faster because of the diverse and stronger microflora in the camels’ rumen. Camel is, therefore, more efficient in nutrient recycling, making its excrement more useful for cropping and farming. In conclusion, camel dung is an untapped precious resource which is not properly utilized so far. The efforts of the studies being conducted in the UAE have, however, illustrated the various uses of this valuable resource. These observations have given the camel a new identity, changing its status from a beast of burden to a sustainable farm animal.

decomposition of organic waste, which organic matter. This raw or slightly pretreated gas is called biogas, and can be used locally to produce electricity, heat, or both in a combined-cycle process. After further purification, the biogas becomes biomethane, 100% renewable energy of the same quality as natural gas, which can be used in vehicles or injected into the natural gas network. There are distinct advantages to this process, namely: •

helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions

•

Production of this renewable energy

and improve air quality.

can be decentralised: biomethane is the renewable part of natural gas and can be used in exactly the same way. It is

just as easy to transport as it is to use locally. •

Its use will create local employment that cannot be delocalised.

Issue 13 | March 2019

Murtaza conducts workshops bringing ANID to the forefront of his purpose. This comes through a sense of responsibility to society and involves in bringing out the creative skills in youth through the process of ingeniously salvaging waste and reusing it for a better cause.

PERSON

Upcycling the Love Murtaza Asgar creates beautiful furniture and mementoes from chopped and discarded trees.

urtaza Asgar is one such example who seeks to further the cause of recycling and sustainability through his creative skills and talent for design. Thanks to pursuing this desire ANID Turnkey projects Contracting LLC. was born. The company is a bespoke joinery manufacturer and interior fit out company. They value resources and makes full use of them. This embodies their corporate philosophy: making full use of assets and looking for the link between the past and the present. Murtaza discovered a love for woodworking, while appreciating the use of working with wood waste and redundant trees in keeping with the tenets of recycling, reclaiming and sustainability. The elation came from creating unusual and beautiful things out of nothing at all. Municipal authorities have constantly tried to make the public aware of the destructive properties of the Damas tree, as it poses a threat to water pipes and swimming pools in villas. The trees were banned in 2012 and were being cut and disposed

off, till Murtaza stepped in with a unique solution - the uprooted trees started to get upcycled by carving furniture, artefacts and momentoes from them. Later Murtaza also made trophies from the bark of the Damas trees for Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC) when they were hosting their MENA awards and wanted to create trophies from sustainable material. His efforts drew praise from the Dubai Municipality whoeven issued a letter of appreciation to him for his services. Murtaza was once also astonished by the sight of a truck being loaded with discarded ruined logs to be trashed, and upon inquiring about it, out of curiosity, the owner agreed to hand over the so-called trash to him. To his surprise, Murtaza learnt that the wood was none other than Burma teak. Recognizing its value and being inspired to bring out something beautiful from it. he decided to convert them into logs into vases. “My philosophy is that not everything beautiful has to be expensive and not all good things need to be complicated.”

Apart from being an avid interior designer and entrepreneur, Murtaza also teaches at Manipal Academy for Higher Education in Dubai where he gets to pass on his philosophy to a younger generation of designers. The aim is to create entrepreneurial opportunities for young professionals using a creative platform. The students are involved in the process of ingeniously salvaging the waste and reusing it. At a recent competition on recycling, organized by the Dubai Municipality, three of his students, mentored by him, won the competition. Murtaza has also worked with the Dubai Municipality. The World Earth Day was a case in point, where ANID conducted workshops to inspire youth on the significance of imperishable environments and the meaning of recycling. Giving back to the community and making them valuable civic citizens is on top of his priorities, he applies various approaches to this and one is through the spirit of celebration. “Last Christmas, we celebrated the occasion with our local community by gifting families a Christmas tree made out of reclaimed wood,” Murtaza said. “The intention was to bring joy to families. The trees were designed to be configured in many shapes possible. The catch, however, was to make sure that families visited to collect the tree and be a part of the exercise.” 57

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

PROJECT

Blue is the New Green

Envirol, a unique product offered by this group, addresses the treatment of waste edible oil in the region.

lue, an environmental division of the Al Serkal Group, was established in 1991. Over the past 25 years, it has become synonymous with addressing issues in the environmental, waste management and energy sectors in the country. Part of Bluesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services include waste collection and recovery; energy saving solutions; food waste technology; technical products and specialised cleaning services. They also offer unique products to facilitate their projects. One such unique product that Blue offers is called Envirol, a joint venture between the Al Serkal Group and Dubai

Municipality. This recycling plant solely targets waste produced by food establishments and eateries across UAE. Envirol exists as the only waste edible oil treatment in the region. Upon collection of the waste from the food service establishments, the cleaning company will need to dispose the waste at the Envirol Recycling Plant. A fee is charged for each gallon discharged. In order to discharge the Fat, Oils and Grease (FOG) waste at the Envirol Recycling Plant, grease trap cleaning companies must be registered with the Dubai Municipality. Once a company is registered to clean and collect grease trap

waste it will be able to tender for cleaning contracts with food service establishments. Envirol is an environmentally conscious operation, since the waste that is taken to the plant goes into process and produces fertilizer, water and oil that can be reused for composting, irrigation and detergent industries respectively. Recycling and refining makes it possible to achieve further use of these waste products, not only reducing the dumping receptors perimeters but, environmentally having a clean (GREEN) impact over all. Each end product then goes back into the system for further use. Envirol is located in Al Aweer, Dubai.

Issue 13 | March 2019

PRODUCT

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Spend to Destroy, Invest to Create

tuix began with an idea; an idea to preserve the environment and protect it with harmful manmade substances. The idea came from Gianmarco Galli owner of Lapix Sagl (Switzerland), an advertising company with a conscience, to recycle and reuse all the leftover or unusable posters from their advertising campaigns. In 2009, the idea of Etuix became a brand in Switzerland and Italy. Etuix promotes the preservation of the environment by ensuring that the PVC that is produced by advertising companies and other organizations does not end up in landfill. Instead, those unusable posters are transformed into premium, hand-crafted Italian products that can be used for up to 10 years. The posters are turned into luxury bags, purses, trolleys, phone cases, shoes and wallets. Etuix promotes a circular economy approach that is driven by reuse of materials that are deemed unusable in order to prolong their lifecycle before they end up in a landfill or are incinerated. Every product of Etuix is unique and is made in an ecofriendly manner. Every single product of Etuix is hand-crafted to perfection with extreme care and the Italian flair. Starting from October 2018, with the vision and

management of Matteo Boffa (General Manager), Etuix has consolidated its production with a line of objects coming from materials in the Emirates and locally produced. This also proves the concept that high quality objects can be produced in different parts of the world. The company policy is also based on the ability to attribute to each individual product, the lowest possible environmental footprint. Outdoor advertising is a prominent channel of creating brand awareness in Dubai. Large and small billboards are seen on almost every road. However, the cost of renting these billboards is astronomical. For example, a company will have to pay upwards of AED 18 million to rent out a billboard for a year. Thus, instead of that, companies run shorter campaigns, for up to a couple months. On an average, around 1 million square meters of PVC is discarded or incinerated in Dubai from advertising posters. That is 10.7 million square feet of PVC which amounts to 8.3 million A3 sheets. If these posters are to

be incinerated, the carbon dioxide released is approximately 3 million kg. This is equivalent to burning 1.5 million plastic bottles. Etuix in Dubai is a natural fit because Etuix is not just selling products but is also offering a solution. By reducing carbon dioxide emissions and preserving the environment, Etuix will bring Dubai, and UAE, closer to meeting its National Agenda 2021. Etuix breathes new life into the PCV posters that are displayed and discarded at the end of an advertising campaign. The lifecycle of a PVC poster starts with the design phase and ends in the incinerator or a landfill. However, the lifecycle of a PVC poster ends in as a luxury Italian product that makes a difference. n just a few months from the opening of the new market in the UAE, ETUIX has already been noted winning competitions, participating in awards, collaborating with 5 local universities in case studies, appearing in various magazines and collaborating on international sustainability projects. This is just the beginning of a great story in the world of recycling. 59

The Sustainabilist | WASTE

INDEX

The UAEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in the global food waste race

9 in 10

UAE residents are concerned about food waste

AED 13 billion

worth of food is wasted every year in the UAE

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s around

3.27 million tonnes of food

The equivalent of everybody in the UAE throwing

of food per person

in the trash every single day

5 bowls of rice

350 kg

In Dubai,38% of food is wasted, rising to 55% during Ramadan

Food makes up

39%

of all waste in Abu Dhabi Over 400,000 tonnes per year

Cutting food waste by just 15% would have the same impact on CO2 emissions as

taking 150,000 cars off the road

Newsroom : Source: The National, Khaleej Times

Statistics from The National, Massar Solutions, and the UN

Source : government.ae

YOU BRING THE ATTITUDE, WE BRING THE KNOW-HOW.

Why should you consider a sustainability report? IT’s time to:

IDENTIFY

MEASURE

Make your achievements count

Define your long-term vision

MANAGE

CHANGE

Build resilience into your core business model

Adopt world leading best practices

Dubai Carbon is the ‘go-to’ thought leader with the ability to connect the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the GRI Reporting Framework. Dubai Carbon provides tailor-made solutions to accelerate sustainable change. Our collaborative framework allows you to kick-start your sustainability reporting journey in the point most suitable for your internal capacity and experience.

•

Differentiate: Harness sustainability as a true business benefit and differentiate from competitors.

•

Save time & money: On-going management and reporting makes life easier and far less expensive.

•

Develop together: Create a culture that encourages new ideas and innovations. Share and learn about best practices within the company, customers and peer groups.

•

Attract top talent: Strong sustainability programs are a great way to attract, engage and retain talent.

Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence PJSC PO Box 333992, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Phone +971 4 322 9853 Facsimile +971 4 385 4295 Email info@dcce.ae www.dcce.ae