Rubble at ‘mill as UAE is forced to look at recycling

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The EEG, during the launch of its annual Clean-Up UAE National Campaign, said construction waste was an issue needing addressing.

Statistics show that four out of the six GCC countries produce the most carbon dioxide per head in the world.

The worst offender is Qatar, with 13.66 tonnes of CO₂ per person, followed by the UAE with 13.31; Bahrain with 9.47; and Kuwait with 8.32 tonnes.

The excessive use of gas-guzzling cars and the cool draught of the air-conditioning units in these countries are partly to blame.

However, environmental experts are also blaming the huge construction boom in the region as another reason.

All of the components used in buildings, if produced from raw materials, use methods which produce greenhouse gases.

For example, the Ecosmart Foundation has estimated that every tonne of cement made produces one tonne of CO₂.

In the UAE, where the majority of the region's construction work is taking place, 35.4 million tonnes of cement will be produced this year.

And the country's vast number of building sites means that industrial and construction waste has gone from three million tonnes in 2000 to 10.5 million tonnes in 2006.

According to figures from Dubai Municipality, construction and demolition waste accounts for 75% of all waste produced in the city, 50% of which could be recycled.

For example, concrete - which accounts for 70% of all construction waste - can be re-ground and used as road and construction base aggregate.

In the UAE, the issue of sustainable building became top of the agenda when Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president and prime minister, and ruler of Dubai, announced the green building initiative earlier this month.

He aims to turn Dubai into a leader in the field in which all new buildings must adhere to strict environmental standards.

Last week, the Emirates Environmental Group, during the launch of its 12th annual Clean-Up UAE National Campaign, said construction waste was another issue which needed addressing.

Group chairman Habiba Al Marashi said that although government legislation can help the problem, much of the responsibility lay with the construction firms themselves.

Dr Sadek Owainati, founder and chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council, believed that the responsibility lay with all parties involved.

He said: "Many construction companies do have a social responsibility but they are also beginning to realise that to recycle as much as you can is good for business.

"Just as a tailor will use every spare piece of material, contractors can save money by using every spare piece of marble, tile or gypsum.

"The government has a role to play in this. As it is a tax-free economy, it cannot introduce tax breaks for companies so instead it needs to encourage and persuade people about the advantages of sustainable developments."

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