Due to population growth and economic activities, the quantities of wastes in the UAE have increased in the last decade. Most of the waste ends up in municipal landfills or dumpsites, where organic waste generates a large amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Currently, little of the waste is burnt and the rate of municipal waste recycling has been rapidly rising.

Waste management in the country is coordinated through local authorities. Waste issues are handled through recycling and converting waste to energy and resources, new technologies and improved waste separation and collection systems. The UAE aims to reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.

The UAE issued Cabinet Resolution No. (39) regarding the executive regulations of Federal Resolution No. (12) of 2018 on the integrated waste management that seeks to regulate the waste management process and standardize the mechanisms and methods of proper waste disposal in line with best practices with the aim of protecting the environment and reducing risks to human health.

Waste management in Abu Dhabi

The Government of Abu Dhabi established Tadweer in 2008. The company is responsible for the policy, strategy and contractual systems of waste management across the emirate.

Waste management in Dubai

Dubai Municipality's Waste Management Department prepared the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Master Plan in 2012 with an aim to reduce the amount of waste being sent to the landfills to zero in 20 years by using an integrated and innovative approach.

Dubai Municipality established the largest plant in the Middle East to convert solid waste into energy at a cost of AED 2 billion in the Warsan district.

Dubai Municipality, in co-ordination with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, conducted studies to achieve the strategy of Dubai for Clean Energy, to produce 7 per cent of Dubai's total energy from clean energy sources.

Waste management in Sharjah

The emirate of Sharjah set up a municipal waste management company Bee'ah (the Arabic word for environment) in 2007 in the form of a public-private partnership.

In October 2011, Sharjah announced an ambitious plan for 100 per cent landfill diversion by 2015. To attain this goal, Bee'ah developed a state-of-the-art waste management centre to process and recycle waste.

In 2012, the company introduced two-stream waste collection and a new tipping fee structure to incentivise waste reduction and to closely regulate landfill contents. Improved blue and green coloured, odour-proof bins have been deployed across the emirate.