MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)

Abu Dhabi is expanding its waste management infrastructure and circular economy initiatives as it works towards diverting 80% of waste from landfills by 2031, according to officials at Tadweer Group.

The waste management company said it is investing across collection, recycling, and waste-to-energy infrastructure to transform waste from an environmental burden into an economic resource.

"The framing of waste as a liability reflects a fundamental misclassification," Abdulwahed Juma, Executive Director of Communications and Awareness at Tadweer Group, told Aletihad.

"Every waste stream carries embedded value, whether in the materials it contains, the energy it can yield, or the resources it can return to productive use."

Officials said progress towards the emirate's landfill diversion target is being driven through a network of specialised facilities handling electronic waste, construction and demolition materials, organic waste, and other recoverable resources.

Ahmed Al Kayyoomi, Executive Director of Strategy and Business Performance, told Aletihad that Abu Dhabi's waste management system is being developed across three integrated layers: collection, material recovery, and energy generation.

At the collection stage, Tadweer's subsidiary Tajmee'e now operates in 29 areas across northern Abu Dhabi and is expanding towards full emirate-wide coverage.

Material recovery infrastructure includes facilities for processing electronic waste through Enviroserve as well as construction and demolition waste recycling, Al Kayyoomi explained.

Waste that cannot be recovered is directed to waste-to-energy facilities.

"The foundation of that system is in place, and the coming period is about deepening its reach and bringing more of Abu Dhabi's economy into the circular system," Al Kayyoomi said.

Electronic waste represents one of the strongest opportunities for resource recovery, according to Tadweer, due to its high concentration of valuable metals and reusable materials.

Construction byproducts and organic waste are also key focus areas as Abu Dhabi seeks to reduce landfill dependency and increase resource efficiency.

Changing Mindsets
The company said its approach differs from traditional waste management models that prioritise disposal over recovery.

"Conventional waste management treats waste as a problem to be removed. Tadweer Group treats it as a resource that has been misrouted," Al Kayyoomi said.

Juma added that Tadweer Group's collection subsidiary Tajmee'e uses artificial intelligence and real-time data to optimise collection routes, reducing vehicle movements, fuel consumption, and emissions associated with waste collection operations.

Alongside infrastructure investment, the company is focusing on changing public attitudes towards waste generation and recycling.

Dr Reem Al Kindi, Head of Public Awareness at Tadweer Group, said residents are increasingly interested in understanding what happens to their waste after collection.

"The most telling shift is in the questions people ask. Residents want to know where their waste goes, what happens to it, and whether it is actually being recovered," she told Aletihad.

She added that younger generations are driving much of the change, with growing expectations around sustainability and accountability.

Through community visits, outreach programmes,and awareness campaigns, Tadweer aims to encourage residents to reduce waste at source and participate more actively in recycling and responsible disposal programmes.

"Sustained behaviour change happens when people trust the system," Al Kindi said. "Tadweer Group builds that trust by being present in communities consistently, making responsible disposal as straightforward as possible, and ensuring residents can see the outcome of their actions."