EEG Waste Management Programmes

 

In the paradigm of environmental responsibility, EEG stands as a torchbearer, transcending traditional waste management practices. Waste, once considered the end of the line, now takes centre stage as a raw material for the generation of the ‘seventh resource’ in our commitment towards a circular economy – a profound shift that defines the prominence and impact that our waste management programmes hold.

 

Beyond the basic tenets of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’, our diverse collection campaigns and recycling programmes spread across the year and across the country, have evolved to embrace circularity principles. EEG has also gone beyond the ordinary to include recycling as a part of everyday life. EEG’s commitment to safeguarding the environment extends to include the collection of Paper, Plastic, Glass, Aluminium-cans, Toner-cartridges, Mobile-phones, E-waste, Scrap metal, and our latest addition; Tin. As an active member of UNEP, EEG also strives to ensure the integration of relevant UN SDGs throughout the year, across all its campaigns.

 

In 2023, these initiatives exceeded targets in each material collected, propelling us into a new era of sustainable existence and reimagining the capabilities of a united community across sectors.

 

The narrative within our waste management programmes extends beyond mere waste collection, embodying a strategic approach to resource conservation and environmental reclamation. EEG, in pursuit of sustainable excellence, is always on the lookout to explore and engage with entities and initiatives that transcend conventional paradigms, championing a greener and more harmonious UAE.

GLASS

Glass has been around for centuries in many forms. Whether it is the cup that holds the water that quenches your thirst or the windows that protect you from the outside world, glass is everywhere. The process of recycling glass is so efficient that the jar you place in the bottle bank can potentially be back on the supermarket shelves within a span of 70 days.

Glass is one of the most useful materials in the world. It is also 100% recyclable because it is made from three different natural materials such as silica sand (silicon dioxide), soda ash (sodium carbonate), and limestone (calcium carbonate). Each time a new glass product is made, raw materials from the Earth are extracted and utilized, and high amounts of energy are required to melt and mix the materials together.

However, glass has some very special properties; it is non-toxic, inert, and can be recycled easily and infinitely without losing any of its characteristics. Therefore, for every piece of glass that is recycled, precious amounts of the earth’s raw materials are preserved and large amounts of energy and water are saved. Therefore, lesser carbon dioxide, which is a damaging greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change, is released into the atmosphere.

Glass that has food or liquid residue should be rinsed out prior to recycling. This helps to reduce smells, mold, flies, and pests during storage at home and at the recycling site.

Upon realising the environmental, economic and health related benefits of recycling glass products, EEG set up its Glass Collection Campaign in 2005. The campaign has been highly successful since its inception and has contributed to the recycling of 2,881,646 kg of glass until the end of August 2024.

Mobile Phones

Mobiles phones contain important metals such as iron, copper silver, etc. and can be recovered and used in other areas through recycling. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling every one million units of mobile phones saves 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, 33 pounds of palladium and 35,274 pounds of copper. This also saves energy that is otherwise used to mine these metals from the earth’s crust. A single, thrown away, mobile phone can pollute around 40,000 gallons of ground water.

Mobile phones contain substances like antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc, which are highly toxic for the environment. They pollute the air, soil, water and can result in health hazards such as cancer, fertility problems, childbirth defects, neurological problems and development disorders. Rechargeable batteries of the cell phones are also very harmful. They contain toxic substances like cadmium, lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride, which consist of cobalt, zinc, and copper, and many other heavy metals. These substances may be responsible for lung, liver, and kidney damage.

In 2009, EEG launched the Mobile Phone Collection Campaign. This consists of dialogue sessions with schools and corporations to raise awareness on the importance of recycling mobile phones. The campaign has been highly successful since its inception and has recycled 82,579 mobile phones until the end of August 2024.

Join the Mobile Phone Collection Campaign to increase your positive impact towards the environment.

Paper

Paper is made from naturally occurring plant fibers called cellulose, which is derived from wood. Another valuable source of cellulose for paper manufacture is found in existing paper products, and is recovered through the process of recycling. The majority of paper is made from wood harvested from the world’s forests, many of which are not managed sustainably. This causes irreversible loss to nature and biodiversity, as well as reducing the number of trees available to absorb carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas.

Trees and green areas not only provide us with healthy surroundings, but also help to absorb pollutants, reduce the urban heat island effect and stabilise our groundwater sources. The majority of paper and cardboard in circulation can be recycled. Some paper is more complicated to recycle because it blends several elements such as plastics and water-proof coatings together; for example those in food packaging. Generally, household and office paper can always be recycled.

Upon realising the environmental, economic, and health related benefits of recycling paper, EEG set up its Paper Collection Campaign in 2001. The campaign has been highly successful since its inception and has contributed to the recycling of 23,668,767 kg of paper until the end of  August 2024.

Come on board and join this massive movement to save our trees and environment, and be the positive change.

Plastic

Plastic is one the most abundantly used man-made substance with industries ranging from construction to packaging utilising it extensively. This inexpensive material is also endowed with qualities, such as water resistance and versatility. Manufactured from synthetic materials through energy-intensive techniques such as polymerization, this substance utilises non-renewable sources such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas in its production. Additionally, plastic leads to environmental hazards such as pollution of streams which in turn pollute other ecosystems, and health hazards such as cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption, and developmental and reproductive effects.

All plastic is recyclable in theory but in practice, the level of difficulty of recycling varies as there are over 50 different types of plastics. At present, more organisations are demanding recycled plastic or plastic replacements for packaging purposes. According to the Resin Identification Coding System, plastics can be classified into seven codes, out of which only three are easily recycled. These include beverage bottles, jars, jugs, bags, straws, carpets and containers. Wraps, cleaning bottles, styrofoam cups, accessories, cutlery and electronic are more difficult to recycle.

EEG established the first Plastic Recycling Center on 5th June 2001, commemorating World Environment Day. However, it launched its ongoing Plastic Collection Campaign in September 2005. EEG’s ongoing plastic collection campaign persuades individuals, families, academic institutions and corporate bodies to collect their waste plastic for recycling. In order to motivate people to recycle plastic, EEG provides collection points for individuals, recycling facilities for schools, and recycling bins for corporates. The campaign has been highly successful since its inception and has recycled 1,634,479 kg of plastic until the end of August 2024.

Help us in increasing the diversion of plastic waste from landfills by joining our plastic collection campaigns.

Toner

Printer cartridges are made up of a complex combination of plastics, metals, foam, ink and toner. Throwing them into landfill represents a waste of resources and contributes to the growing problem of electronic waste. By recycling your cartridges, you are helping to reduce this waste. Not only can cartridges be recycled and the plastics reused, they can also be remanufactured. In fact, a single toner cartridge can be remanufactured up to seven times. When discarded into the landfill, toners and cartridges take thousands of years to break down and are harmful to the environment as they contain industrial products and toxic elements.

The campaign has been highly successful since its inception in 2001, and has contributed to the recycling of 128,278 pieces of toners until the end of August 2024.

Join the green march towards a better environment and help us recycle our toners.

Aluminium Cans

Most people don’t realise that aluminum is practically the perfect recyclable material. Out of the most common recyclable materials that clutter up our landfills like glass, paper, metals, plastics, aluminum is the only material that’s endlessly and 100% recyclable. In fact, it takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminium cans than extracting aluminium from its bauxite ore. Every year, over 500 million aluminium beverage cans are sold in the UAE but 93% of these cans end up in the landfills, which has a detrimental impact on the environment.

The Can Collection Campaign was the first EEG recycling program launched in 1997 to promote and support the aluminum recycling industry and more importantly to reduce power consumption, GHG emissions and divert the waste going to the landfills. The campaign has been highly successful since its inception and has recycled 420,492 kg of aluminium cans until the end of August 2024.

Join our Can collection campaigns and contribute in our goal to achieve efficiency and sustainability for a better tomorrow.

Annual Awarding Ceremony

EEG established recycling initiatives during the year 1992, when the concept of recycling was not yet established in the UAE. Terms such as climate change, global warming, waste segregation and recycling were almost alien to the local residents. Working with the goal to inculcate the habit of efficient waste management and sustainability among the population in the country, EEG broadened its horizons by innovating strategic recycling campaigns to enhance the level of awareness and instil the importance of their positive attitude towards environment. EEG primarily targets three sectors of the society for its waste management programs – families, academic institutions and corporate entities, under the eight waste management campaigns, namely, Paper, Plastic, Aluminium Cans, Toners, Glass, Mobile Phones, E-waste, and Scrap Metals.

Emirates Environmental Group commemorates the green heroes of recycling and sustainability in the UAE through the “Emirates Recycling Awards” organised annually on the occasion of World Environment Day. It serves as the ‘people’s day’ pushing people to contribute positively to the environment on a local, national and global scale. It that stimulates world awareness and shifts the approach towards actions that create a collective power to generate  positive impact on the planet.

On 5th June 2024, the unique event was held under the patronage of H.H. Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi, member of the Executive Council of the Government of Ras Al-Khaimah and Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation – Ras Al Khaimah.

The Annual Awarding Ceremony was first initiated by EEG in the year 1998 to award the top achievers of the Can Collection Campaign. Over the years, the event has grown in leaps and bounds as EEG added more Recycling campaigns to its portfolio and hosts the eight major waste collection campaigns. Through these campaigns EEG has gained the support of thousands of participants from all sectors of the community – individuals / families, academic institutions, and the public and private sectors.