Workshop on Waste Management and Recycling
24th May 2004

Speakers:

• Dr Saad Al Numairy, Environmental Advisor, Federal Environmental Agency - Legislation Regulating Handling of Hazardous Wastes in UAE
• Eng. Hassan Makki, Assistant Director - Environment Department & Head of Waste Services Section, Dubai Municipality - Scenario of Waste Management in Dubai
• Mr. Omar Samhan Al Ashram, Head, Chemicals and Hazardous Materials Section, ERWDA - Towards Sustainable Development in Abu Dhabi: ERWDA's Role in the Management of Hazardous Materials and Wastes
• Mrs Habiba Al Marashi, Chairperson, Emirates Environmental Group
• Mr. Mohammed Al Jariri, DEWA - Case Study
• Mr. J.S.A. Bukhari, ETA Ascon - Case Study
• Mr. Gary Foote, ABB - Case Study

While CSR is gaining an ever-greater audience in the Middle East there has so far been little opportunity for companies to share best practice or to form partnerships with organisations from other sectors.

The EEG CSR Network is set to change that. Under its banner slogan "Building partnerships for a sustainable future", a series of workshops brings together the public and private sectors for the first time to discuss and share ideas on CSR.

The morning session provided delegates with an overview of current government policy and legislation, setting out the framework in which companies are required to manage their environmental impacts.

The Federal Environmental Agency's Environmental Advisor Dr Saad Al Numairy gave an opening address which provided an overview of waste management policies at the Federal level and a vision for sustainability in the UAE.

In addition to the federal viewpoint the workshop heard from Eng. Hassan Makki, Assistant Director, Environment Department & Head of Waste Services Section, at Dubai Municipality. Eng. Makki shared a detailed insight into the various programmes Dubai Municipality is running to manage the ever increasing levels of waste in Dubai. He touched not only on domestic waste and recycling of household goods, but also on the very complex issues of industrial waste disposal, something which most of us do not consider in our day-to-day lives.

A presentation from ERWDA, the governmental agency responsible for promoting sustainable development and environmental protection in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, touched on elements of the Abu Dhabi environmental strategy and the role of ERWDA in the management of chemicals, hazardous materials and waste.

Having worked for many years on numerous aspects of waste management in partnership with both government bodies and the corporate sector, EEG presented an overview of their current waste and recycling programmes. Promoting environmental stewardship and individual responsibility have been driving forces for EEG since its founding in 1991. Today EEG manages a large number of projects nationwide from can collection in schools to office toner recycling in offices, all of which are making a significant contribution to the overall levels of waste generation in the UAE.

An Associate Member of EEG and active partner in its Waste and Recycling initiatives, ETA Ascon gave an overview of the company's activities in waste management, environmental protection, recycling and CSR more broadly, as well as the business case for sound environmental management.