Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) has successfully delivered a host of vital projects in the first half of 2021, covering a wide range of service sectors including waste collection and transport, pest control, projects and facilities, and tariff and licensing.
The timely completion of these strategic projects and services has helped the Emirate ramp up its integrated waste management sector, validating Tadweer’s tireless efforts to ensure social well-being and environmental sustainability.
Achievements of Projects and Facilities Department
To achieve the objectives of the UAE National Agenda and improve the management of various types of waste generated in Abu Dhabi, the Projects and Facilities Department at Tadweer has prioritized the time-bound development, planning, implementation, and management of its strategic projects.
By 2030, the Department is aiming to achieve 85% treatment of municipal solid waste, commercial and industrial waste, demolition and construction waste, farm and ranch waste and fallen stock, and 100% treatment of hazardous and medical waste.
During the first few months of 2021, the Department treated 23,361.82 tons of municipal solid waste, 692,623.73 tons of commercial and industrial waste, 1,307,841.94 tons of construction and demolition waste, 14,957.17 tons of farm and ranch waste, 4,289.1 tons of fallen stock, and 47,248.66 tons of hazardous and medical waste.
The department’s key achievements in the first half of 2021 included the efficient handling of waste generated by Covid-19 treatment according to the highest professional standards, the opening of three medical waste incinerators in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, the launch of a fallen stock treatment facility in Abu Dhabi and the expansion of the tire recycling plant to include Madinat Zayed in Al Dhafra region.
Achievements of Waste Collection and Transportation Projects Department
Meanwhile, the Waste Collection and Transportation Projects Department at Tadweer implemented several innovative initiatives in the first half of this year. Notable among them are the opening of the organic waste composting unit in Abu Dhabi city, and several civic amenities for recyclable waste across Abu Dhabi mainland.
The Department also handled an average monthly volume of 270,109.78 tons of bulky waste, 252,735.97 tons of animal waste from farms and ranches, 4,847.13 tons of fallen stock, 8,713.90 tons of used tires, 942,147.45 tons of municipal solid waste, 375,424.76 tons of green waste, 1,700,592.56 tons of construction and demolition waste and 19,492.30 tons of slaughterhouse waste.
Furthermore, the Department deployed 154,601 waste bins in each area under its operation and unloaded them 4,144,619 times on average. Its automatic sweeping machines covered a total distance of 119,787 kilometers, while the waste bins were washed 572,020 times.
His Excellency Falah Mohamed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of Tadweer, said: “Tadweer’s achievements and initiatives have boosted the community’s confidence in its work. The Center’s strategy is focused on offering best-in-class services to the community in line with our wise leadership’s vision.”
Al Ahbabi added: “The successes and achievements made by Tadweer articulate the Emirate’s futuristic vision of integrated waste management to meet the evolving requirements of different regions, while enhancing the quality of services to residents and creating a safe and sustainable environment.”
Achievements of Pest Control Projects Department
The Pest Control Projects Department at Tadweer continued its excellence and leadership at work in the first half of this year. Through utilizing smart traps, it achieved a 19% decrease in permanent pest-infested areas, 15% reduction in fuel use, 9% reduction in workforce, 8% reduction in pesticide use, and avoided carbon emissions by 30%. Moreover, the Department procured 200 new smart traps to be deployed across the Emirate by November 2021, increasing the total number of smart traps in use in Abu Dhabi to 640.
The Department also witnessed an increase in the number requests repeated within 15 days for controlling annoying pests including German ants and cockroaches. To ensure the best customer experience, the Department formed a dedicated team to communicate with customers and educate them about the necessary preventive measures to avoid recurrence of pest infestation.
The Department also distributed 50,000 awareness leaflets in H1 2021 and disseminated awareness messages to more than 85,000 customers. If the customer is not satisfied with the service level, it sends an immediate notification to the concerned contract officer and reevaluates the customer satisfaction after three days of service delivery through sending a text message.
The Department also took several precautionary measures and improved the transportation and availability of technicians, their working hours and enhanced its operational efficiency. Through the implementation of an integrated pest management approach, the department decreased infestation by disease-carrying pests.
These efforts have made Tadweer the premier technical reference in pest control in the UAE. In addition to developing a technical guide for licensing pest control companies in the UAE in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Tadweer chairs the Supreme Technical Committee to combat pests and disease transmission. The Center has also collaborated with the United Arab Emirates University to conduct scientific research about pest resistance to pesticides.
Achievements of Licensing, Tariff and Customer Service Department
In H1 2021, the Licensing, Tariff and Customer Service Department at Tadweer completed several key e-Services and projects, including the launch of Pest Control E-Contract System, the dashboard on waste reduction and diversion, and integration with Abu Dhabi’s payment gateway and digital document services of Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
The Department also launched a set of standard work procedures for the electronic manifest and non-hazardous waste, and drafted a proposal on introducing permits for importing waste from outside the emirate to support the development a circular economy in Abu Dhabi.
The department also issued 1,564 licenses and permits in the first half of the year, in addition to licensing 4,605 vehicles.
In the second half of 2021, the Department is set to implement several key projects and e-Services, including cooperation with strategic partners to regulate the trade of waste in Abu Dhabi Emirate, licensing companies operating in used cooking oil, lubricant and wood recycling, and the development of a program to link approved laboratories with the licensing system. The Department is also working on the development and integration of a complaint registering system, an e-Service to allow violators to amend their status, linking with the Department Municipalities and Transport to streamline automation of construction and demolition transactions and integration with the Integrated Transport Center.
The Department also handled 44,963 cases it received through the joint government customer contact center including 26,181 cases from Abu Dhabi, 17,171 cases from Al Ain, and 1,611 cases from Al Dhafra.
His Excellency Dr Salem Al Kaabi, Director General of Tadweer, said: “The achievements made by Tadweer since the beginning of this year have been truly remarkable by all measures and will inspire us to continue the momentum into the rest of the year.”
He added: “Preserving the aesthetic appeal of the Emirate is our shared responsibility. At Tadweer, we play a key role in achieving Abu Dhabi Government’s directions in this regard to ensure the well-being of society.”
