Abu Dhabi builds massive new waste system

Abu Dhabi is carrying out a project involving the creation of a massive underground waste system that will replace the present environmentally harmful disposal method, a local newspaper reported on Saturday.

The city with a population of around one million has already set up nearly 25 underground pressure waste bins that outsize the present bins used by the Municipality by nearly 52 times, Alkhaleej Arabic language daily said.

The 25 new bins are part of a massive project to construct about 420 underground pressure waste containers by the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre, which is supervising waste disposal in the emirate.

The paper said nearly 125 such bins would be in place by the end of 2010 while the rest could be completed before the end of next year.

The project covers all areas in the Capital and each bin has a capacity of nearly 20 tonnes of waste to be placed and handled underground, it said.

“The new project will reduce the cost of transporting waste from the city to the waste disposal centre by around 25 per cent,” the report said.

“It is part of plans to introduce advanced waste management system in Abu Dhabi…this will contribute to eliminating foul smell and scattering of paper and waste at present waste bin sites.”

Citing a local study, Alkhaleej said Abu Dhabi, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, also has one of the highest wasting rates, with each person dumping an average 4.2 kg of waste every day compared with only around 1.5 kg in the developed countries.