Dubai: More than 6,300 volunteers remove 11,300 kg of waste during clean up drive

A total of 11,300 kg of waste material was collected by more than 6,300 volunteers during the ‘Clean UAE’ campaign held in Dubai.

Organised by Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Ministry Community Development, the fourth leg of the drive was held in Saih Al Salam.

Following the successes at the previous legs in Ajman, Fujairah and Sharjah, EEG in association with Dubai Municipality, management of Saih Al Salam protected area, Dubai Economy and Tourism opened four sites at the Saih Al Salam.

The drive coincided with the International Volunteer Day and the continuation of the UAE National Day celebrations.

Wearing campaign t-shirts and caps, equipped with reusable cotton gloves and biodegradable bags, as many as 6,395 volunteers flocked to the Saih Al Salam area in the early hours of the morning.

Cleaning an area of 10 sqkm, they collected 11,300 kg of waste material from four sites. After removing recyclables, the rest was handed over to the municipality for further processing and disposing. The segregated recyclable materials were uploaded on EEG trucks and sent to the recycling facilities in the UAE.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, along with other officials from the government and private sectors, actively participated in the campaign. The minister said the campaign is a “shining example” of community engagement in a noble mission.

“Volunteerism reflects our values in the UAE, and has seen an impressive uptake as an important social practice to give back to the community. We perceive the work of volunteers as an integral part of our efforts to protect the environment and sustain its natural resources, as it raises public awareness of the importance of our fragile ecosystems and engages a wider community in conserving them, in line with the objectives of the government.”