Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
In Abu Dhabi, zero waste isn’t just about eliminating trash but unlocking value from materials once discarded, said an official from the emirate’s waste management authority Tadweer Group.
“Abu Dhabi no longer sees waste as a disposal issue alone, but as a resource with economic and environmental value. That shift is reflected in policy, infrastructure, and investment,” said Mark Siddorn, Strategic Planning and Business Performance Director at Tadweer Group.
Ahead of International Zero Waste Day, marked worldwide on Sunday, Siddorn explained to Aletihad how the emirate is transforming how is waste managed, recycled, and reused.
To reduce dependence on landfills, Tadweer Group is building an integrated circular system — from Abu Dhabi’s first greenfield Material Recovery Facility to a Waste-to-Energy plant that will process 900,000 tonnes annually and generate 80 MW of clean energy starting in 2027.
“We recover recyclable materials first, then channel the remaining waste to energy recovery. That is how we move from waste management to resource optimisation,” Siddorn said.
According to its sustainability data for 2024, the group managed 8.864 million tonnes of waste, of which 3.038 million tonnes were treated or rerouted from disposal, resulting in an overall diversion rate of 34%. The goal is to reach 80% waste diversion and 38% recycling by 2031.
Siddorn said the waste-to-energy facility being developed in Abu Dhabi is expected to cut carbon emissions by over one million tonnes annually. So far, about 72% of the project has been completed through over five million manhours, he added.
“All pieces of equipment have been received on site and almost installed. Main buildings have been constructed. The project is expected to be commissioned by Q3 2027.”
Beyond its own flagship projects, Tadweer Group is also supporting a nationwide policy to make manufacturers and importers legally and financially responsible for the waste their products create.
In 2025, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment partnered with the group to launch the UAE’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) pilot, covering targeted product waste including electrical and electronic equipment, batteries, and packaging.
The pilot is designed to clarify roles and responsibilities across the value chain, strengthen producer accountability, and generate practical lessons that can inform future EPR policy and implementation, Siddorn said.
“It is being piloted in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with Tadweer acting as the Producer Responsibility Organisation, which positions the group as the operational link between regulators, producers, and the waste management system,” he added.
Rising Public Awareness
Though AI, data analytics, and advanced technologies are redefining waste management in the emirate, real change still hinges on human behaviour — something Siddorn said was steadily improving.
A clean-up campaign in 2025, for example, mobilised more than 500 volunteers across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, he said. In the same year, a national sustainability campaign in schools reached more than 8,200 students across 13 schools in all seven emirates.
Recycling has also become more visible and more convenient through infrastructure such as 25 reverse vending machines, 20 recyclable material collection centres handling 16 recycling streams, and smart bins designed to make separation and collection easier.
“This comes as sustainability shifts from being a general awareness topic into a more practical habit,” he said.
