The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) announced that participants in the 'Can Collection Day' campaign, which took place on 24th February, under the slogan 'Cancel the Linear, Enable the Circular', was able to collect 6,294 kg of Aluminium Cans to be recycled.
Mrs. Habiba Al Mar’ashi, Chairperson of Emirates Environmental Group said that the group is kicking off its action programmes for the new year with the 'Can Collection Day' campaign, to lead this annual drive towards sustainability after setting an ambitious goal of collecting 20,000 kg of aluminium cans for recycling by the end of this year, a grand feat to achieve. EEG urges all sectors of the society to continue depositing Aluminium Cans for recycling and help EEG achieve the set target till December.
She also greatly appreciated the fact that over the last 26 years, the Can Collection Campaign has seen joint efforts across the UAE, from every segment of the society; government entities, private corporations, hotels, academic institutions, individuals and families who through their collective efforts have managed to collect 359,346 kg of Aluminium Cans which has resulted in the mitigation of 5,394 MTCO2e, saving of 8,722 m3 of landfill space and the conservation of 81,782 million BTU of energy.
Continuing on she elaborated that,
“The slogan for the year ‘Cancel the Liner, Enable the Circular’ was chosen for the simple fact to educate the public on the importance of shifting to a circular economy. The current way we as humans are living under the concept on manufacture, consume, discard is not a sustainable one. The effects of climate change are very prevalent in the region as well. Rising temperatures and sea level and expanding deserts are a threat we cannot ignore. Therefore, it is high time people realise the benefit of the circular. We need to close the loop and ensure minimal negative impact on the environment and recycling aluminium is one of the easiest products to shift to circular economy.”
She particularly highlighted the strong participation from the hospitality sector in this campaign. This is a very promising outlook to see this major industry taking the path towards circular economy and thus ensuring that these actions result in a transformative approach to a more sustainable future.
This annual nationwide campaign conducted by EEG is a keystone example of what needs to be done across the globe to working together to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). As a member of UNGC, GPML and with accreditation from UNEP and UNCCD, EEG works on the ground to achieve the sustainable development goals. The Can Collection Campaign effectively contributes to several of the UN SDGs including, Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 13: Climate Action, Goal 14: Life below Water, Goal 15: Life on Land and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
The campaign’s success is due to the collaboration and commitment of a number of government, corporate and academic institutions. EEG appreciates the support of Dubai Municipality and RAK Ceramics for providing the venue support andDepartment of Economy & Tourism and helping spread the message; Abela & Co, McDonald’s UAE, Bright Environment, A G Engineering, and Tristar for providing logistical support, Gulf News and Climate Control who have come on board as media partners for the campaign. In addition, EEG is also delighted to have Lucky Recycling on board to support the campaign as recycling partner.
Besides Aluminium Cans, EEG also facilitates the collection of Paper, Plastic, Glass Bottles, Toners, Mobile phones, E-Waste and Metal Scrap for recycling. The simple act of recycling contributes greatly towards the conservation of resources and the reduction of negative impacts of climate change. EEG hopes that its message spreads to all corners of the UAE to be able to work with all the sectors of the society to achieve sustainability.
For more information, contact us: email: [email protected]; Tel: 04-3448622; Fax: 04-3448677 and please visit our bi-lingual website: www.eeg-uae.org; Follow us on FB; Twitter & Instagram: @eegemirates