UAE recycles 5% aluminum cans; global average 63%

Habiba Al Marashi, chairperson of The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) said that every year, the UAE consumes more than 500 million cans of beverages and sends approximately 5% for recycling, compared with the global average of 63%.

In line with this, the EEG has launched the 16th edition of the Can Collection Campaign, with the start to be marked by its Can Collection Day on February 28 2013. The duration of the campaign is between January - December 2013, and a recall set to take place on November 9 2013, with the Can Collection Drive.

EEG is encouraging various segments of the community - institutions, government and private entities - to participate in this campaign by bringing their cans on February 28 to the designated sites.

The sites include: Za'abeel Park / Safa Park in Dubai, American International School in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain English Speaking School in Al Ain, Parking Area, Fujairah Municipality, and the Ajman Freezone Authority.

The aim of the campaign is to gather the biggest possible number of aluminum cans for recycling by encouraging the support of the community. This hopes to boost the local recycling industry and reduce the quantity of waste going to landfills.

Al Marashi said EEG's participants in waste management programs collected more than 106 tons of waste during January.

348 participants were able to collect 93,975 kg of paper, 40 participants collected 208 kg of aluminum cans, 54 participants collected 34,348 kg of glass, 163 participants collected 6,939 kg of plastic, and 13 participants managed to collect 423 kg of beverage container "Tetrapak". 26 participants in the toner campaign collected 487 packages, and 10 participants in battery campaign collected 449 kilograms of batteries.

Al Marashi further stressed on the need to mobilise more support from various sectors of society to instill the culture of recycling amongst the population.