A mammoth clean-up operation is being planned to clear nearly 200 tonnes of trash that will be dumped daily by millions of Expo visitors.
The garbage will be collected at a new 5,000 square metre central waste facility at the Dubai South site, operated by UAE waste management firm Dulsco.
Organic waste will be treated at the unit by trained staff and re-used as fertiliser to green parks, play areas and exhibition centres across the sprawling gated area.
Recyclables such as plastics, paper, glass and metal cans will be sent in trailers to the main Dulsco facility in Ras Al Khor for further segregation and processing.
Experts estimate that as much as 147 tonnes can be recycled.
With a detailed logistics plan in place, the goal is to create value from waste.
It will take between two days to a week for the rubbish from the expo site to be repurposed into coasters and bowls, egg trays and seed pots at the main waste-to-resource plant in Ras Al Khor.
"The volume of waste produced during the event is projected to be around 173 tonnes daily, of which a minimum of 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products and resources," Dulsco's chairman Abdul Aziz Abdullah told The National.
"The new central waste facility will serve as a transfer station for the waste generated daily from Expo 2020 Dubai.
“The organic waste generated at Expo 2020 Dubai will be processed on site to ensure operational efficiency and reduced carbon footprint.
Glass cast-offs will be recycled to make lights, candle holders and serving trays.
Paper pulp moulds will be used as cup carriers and food package trays, while plastic items will be turned into pellets and plastic bags.
The overall aim is to make the 2020 expo one of the most sustainable ever.
The strategy is in line with the expo’s aim to ensure 85 per cent of waste from the site will be diverted from landfill.
This is a higher target compared to the last world fair, held in Milan in 2015, that achieved 67 per cent diversion from landfill.
Ayesha Al Marzooqi, Expo 2020’s assistant manager for sustainability, said the plan to reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose waste tied in with the country’s commitment to a green economy.
“This is in keeping with the UAE’s current development of a long-term waste strategy,” she said.
“World expos are a place for people to engage with important ideas that will shape our shared future.”
Categorized bins will placed across the 4.38 sqkm expo site and trained staff will use the latest technology and waste management protocols to handle the waste.
As part of long-term awareness, the 84-year-old Dubai-based company will spread awareness about sorting at the source using the expo on-site facility as an example to educate the community about recycling.
“We will also be supporting local small and medium enterprises engaged in the repurposing and recycling of glass, plastic, and other materials,” Mr Abdullah said.
