The impact of population growth and steady economic development in the UAE has been evident in increased waste generation and chemical usage rates. The per capita municipal solid waste generation in the country reached about 2.1 kg/day, before falling to around 1.8 kg/day, one of the highest in the world.
In spite of the enormous efforts made by the concerned authorities in the UAE to reduce this rate and limit the negative effects of waste and chemicals, it remains one of the priority issues. The UAE government is taking measures to meet its ambitious target of diverting 75% of municipal solid waste away from landfills by 2021, under the National Agenda – UAE Vision 2021. This cannot be met without raising awareness and innovative solutions and technologies.
MOCCAE is working to achieve this goal by strengthening partnerships between the government and the private sector to launch initiatives that aim at transforming waste from an environmental burden into an economic resource by focusing on the development of the recycling industry and the transformation of waste into energy. The Ministry also seeks to better organize chemicals trading and uses through the National Strategy for Integrated Management of Chemicals, adopted by the first session of the UAE Government's annual meetings in September 2017.