Experts discuss the role of organic waste management in promoting the circular economy in the UAE
Sharjah, May 12 / WAM / A high-level discussion session hosted by the American University of Sharjah, and organized by the Emirates Biotechnology Company, confirmed that the success of the UAE’s ambitions in the field of the circular economy is linked to the system’s ability to effectively deal with organic waste, as it is the most pressing environmental challenge compared to plastic waste.
Officials from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, and waste management sector operators, along with representatives from academia, participated in the session. They discussed ways to develop an integrated organic waste management system to support the goals of the “National Green Agenda 2030” and the “Circular Economy Policy 2031.”
The participants explained that organic waste constitutes about 40% of the total municipal waste in the country, noting that sending it to landfills leads to the emission of methane gas, whose ability to cause global warming exceeds carbon dioxide over a period of twenty years.
The discussions highlighted the importance of developing effective systems for treating organic waste, in parallel with expanding the use of compostable materials and packaging, stressing that the absence of appropriate infrastructure reduces the environmental benefits of these materials.
The participants stressed that implementing mandatory waste sorting at the source represents an essential step to raise the efficiency of waste management, especially in the commercial, hospitality and municipal services sectors, in addition to the importance of aligning local regulatory frameworks with the reality of the country’s infrastructure.
They pointed out the need to move from the stage of voluntary compliance to applying more effective economic and legislative tools, including reforming landfill fees and imposing fines on mixed waste, which contributes to enhancing the process of diverting waste away from landfills.
The session emphasized that developing the biomaterials sector and organic waste management represents a promising industrial opportunity that is consistent with the objectives of the “300 Billion Project,” provided that coordinated policies, advanced infrastructure, and effective local accreditation frameworks are available.
The participants concluded the session by emphasizing that the main challenge is no longer linked to the lack of environmental awareness, but rather to the system’s ability to implement practically, and make organic waste a primary focus in the country’s circular economy policies.
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