Dubai: Dubai Internet City (DIC) and Dubai Science Park (DSP) teamed up to bring back the e-waste collection drive to their communities in collaboration with Uber and Averda.
This year, the campaign was extended to Dubai Media City (DMC) to promote the recycling of audio and video products, such as radio and television sets and music players.
The numbers from the two-day campaign last month reveal nearly one tonne of electronic waste — 161 items — was collected by 40 Uber riders.
Ammar Al Malik, executive director of Dubai Internet City, said in a press release that as “a leading business community specialised in technology, it is our duty to raise awareness on the significance of recycling and its positive impact on our society. We are proud of our successful campaign that has helped offset our environmental footprint, and aim to continue implementing such collaborative environment-friendly initiatives to facilitate the UAE’s digital transformation”.
Marwan Abdul Aziz Janahi, managing director of Dubai Science Park, noted in a statement that “recycling and waste management play an extremely important role in the global environment conservation and sustainability drive. As a key contributor to Dubai’s vision of becoming a global green leader, Dubai Science Park is committed to providing the infrastructure and support services needed to translate this ambition into reality. We are pleased with the outcome of the second edition of our campaign and the participation of our community. In addition, the inclusion of Dubai Media City has enabled us to expand the range of retired electronics covered”.
Majid Al Suwaidi, managing director of Dubai Media City, said: “At Dubai Media City, one of our key goals is to create a sustainable and innovation-focused environment where people can live, work and play in harmony for generations to come. We are delighted to join this year’s e-waste collection drive that contributes to the UAE’s transition to a green economy, and look forward to playing a bigger role in promoting the recycling of electronics among companies, residents and visitors of Dubai Media City.”
Responsible e-waste disposal is a pressing issue across the world. According to The Global E-waste Monitor 2017, a collaborative report of the United Nations University, the International Telecommunication Union and the International Solid Waste Association, experts foresee the global volume of e-waste rising to 52.2 million metric tonnes in 2021 — up from 44.7 million tonnes in 2016.
This means electronic waste is the fastest-growing component of the world’s domestic waste stream.
