Category Archives: Waste Management

What Type of Waste Can Be Converted into Renewable Energy?

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There is, no doubt, an obvious need to reduce, reuse and recycle wastes but recovery of energy from wastes is also gaining ground as a vital method for managing wastes and Middle East should not be an exception. Wastes can be transformed into clean and efficient energy and fuel by a variety of technologies, ranging from conventional combustion process to state-of-the-art plasma gasification technology. Besides recovery of energy, such technologies leads to substantial reduction in the overall waste quantities requiring final disposal. Waste-to-energy projects provide major business opportunities, environmental benefits, and energy security.  There are many types of waste that can … Continue reading →

The Menace of Single-Use Plastic Bags

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Single-use plastic bags are one of the most objectionable types of litter in urban areas. The sheer volume of plastic waste generated, coupled with energy and material resources required for production, as well as emissions resulting from these processes, paint a grim picture of the environmental havoc created by plastic bags. These single-use plastic bags are causing extensive negative effects to the environment because of how simply they can be used in one’s daily life. There are candy wrappers, takeout containers, and other packaging that should’ve otherwise been avoided. Single-use plastic bags are a huge threat to the environment as … Continue reading →

Biogas Feedstock in the Middle East

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Anaerobic digestion (or biogas technology) is the natural biological process which stabilizes organic waste in the absence of air and transforms it into biofertilizer and biogas. It is a reliable technology for the treatment of wet, organic waste.  Organic waste from various sources is biochemically degraded in highly controlled, oxygen-free conditions circumstances resulting in the production of biogas which can be used to produce both electricity and heat. Almost any organic material can be processed with anaerobic digestion. A wide range of organic wastes are available in the Middle East for anaerobic digestion. In addition to MSW, large quantity of waste, in … Continue reading →

Business Waste Management – What Your Business Can Do Better

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Have you ever wondered if your workplace has some policy regarding waste management that could be improved? Are you a business owner with the necessary awareness to manage a controlled environment where the production of waste is regulated or at least up to current standards? These are pretty valid questions in 2024, especially when corporate sensitivities are shifting to green initiatives and the adoption of energies due to the increasing requests of the world to regulate carbon emissions and save the planet. There are quite a few approaches to business waste management on corporate levels that can be adopted by … Continue reading →

Solid Waste Management in Tunisia

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Solid waste management has emerged as a big challenge for the Mediterranean country of Tunisia. The country, having an estimated population of around 11 million people, produces more than 2.5 million tons of waste each year. Tunisia is experiencing an average increase in waste volume by 3% with per capita waste generation in urban areas being 0.8 kg per day. Biodegradable organic fraction constitutes around 68% of the MSW stream. MSW collection is covered at 80% in urban areas and 10% in rural areas. The country has 10 controlled landfills with a capacity of 1,788,000 tons per year and four … Continue reading →

Construction Wastes Management in the UAE

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Out of total solid wastes generated in the UAE, the construction and demolition wastes or (C&D wastes) account for 70% of the total weight of solid wastes. Dubai alone produces nearly 5,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste every day, which is about 70% of the total solid waste generated every day. In Abu Dhabi, C&D wastes account for 71% of total wastes generated. It is expected that construction and development activities and associated C&D waste production will continue to rise in this region. Hence, if not managed appropriately, it is expected that dumping of C&D waste will become uncontrolled. … Continue reading →

The Problem of Plastic Pollution in the UAE and Possible Solutions

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Plastic pollution is a serious global issue. The United Nations Environment programme highlights that each day, “the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes”. Annually, this translates into some 19-23 million tons of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems and pollutes lakes, rivers and seas. According to data collected by Greenpeace, the MENA region has the world’s highest per capita plastic footprint. On average, “residents in MENA contribute more than 6 kg of plastic waste to the surrounding marine environment every year, as per World Bank report estimates, published in … Continue reading →

Rubbish Removal Sydney – What to Expect?

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If you live in a huge and vibrant city like Sydney, then you probably know how easy rubbish can start piling up and messing up your life! So, managing this waste efficiently is not only essential for maintaining a clean and healthy living environment but also for ensuring the sustainability of the city’s ecosystems. This is where professional rubbish removal services come into play, offering a vital solution to the city’s waste management needs. Understanding what these services entail and recognizing the importance of enlisting their help is crucial for residents and business owners alike. What Are Professional Rubbish Removal … Continue reading →

The Menace of Littering and How to Solve It

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Littering is a common menace one can witness in all urban areas. Streets, sidewalks, parking lots, roads and highways are mostly covered with food wrappers, soft drink and water bottles, plastic bags, handbills, cigarette butts, tissues, papers and others. Littering is most likely to take place at locations where litter is already ‘present’. The Growing Menace of Litter Around 1.9 billion tonnes of litter end up in the ocean every year, which clearly shows that people tend to throw things randomly anywhere, more often than they throw waste in garbage bins. Litter is not just an ugly or an aesthetic … Continue reading →

The Role of Reverse Logistics in Waste Management

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Reverse logistics is a process whereby companies can become more environmentally efficient through recycling, reusing, and reducing the amount of materials used. A more holistic view of reverse logistics includes reduction of materials in the forward system in such a way that fewer materials flow back, reuse of materials is possible, and recycling is facilitated. The measures aimed at reducing waste begin in the product design phase and incorporate the entire product life cycle, including transportation and final disposal. This will allow minimizing the waste downstream and allowing the product to go backward in the chain for possible re-manufacturer, reuse, … Continue reading →

Navigating the Disposal of Electronic Waste: Understanding WEEE Management

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The disposal and recycling of waste require meticulous handling, especially for certain kinds of waste that could potentially pose a risk to public health and safety. This discussion centres around the management of WEEE waste. Defining WEEE WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, encompassing a wide range of items that either plug into an electrical source or are battery-operated, commonly known as “e-waste.” This category also includes lighting equipment like fluorescent and high-intensity discharge lamps, and “white goods” such as major appliances (e.g., refrigerators, washers, and ovens) which account for approximately forty percent of all disposed and recycled … Continue reading →

Effective Ways to Tackle the Menace of E-Waste

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Daily life has been made far more efficient, and glamorous, as technology improves at phenomenal rates. We are encouraged to go paperless, and drastically reduce waste from paper materials. However, technology has its own waste issues to deal with. Electronic waste (or e-waste), is the fastest growing waste stream, and its disposal is a major environmental concern in all parts of the world. When new technology does out with the old, our current model of disposing of ‘outdated’ technology is harming people, profits and most importantly, the planet. More than 50 million of tons of e-waste is generated globally and the quantity is rapidly … Continue reading →