Evolution of Environmental Management

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Evolution of Environmental Management in Dubai
William B. JonesProject ManagerZephyr
Environmental Corporation Redha H. SalmanHead,
Environment Protection and Safety SectionDubai
Municipality Presented at 100th Annual AWMA
Conference and Exhibition Pittsburgh, PA June
26, 2007
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Outline of Presentation

• History of Dubai
• Development of Environmental awareness in Dubai
• Present-day Environment Department
• Waste Services Section
• Environment Protection Safety Section
• Waste Treatment Section
• Future Environmental Challenges for Dubai

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Where is Dubai?
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History of Dubai

• Tribal sheikhdoms for thousands of years
• Treaty between Great Britain and main sheikhs of
  coastal regions in 1892
• Great Britain pulled out in 1971
• Nine sheikhdoms split into three countries
• Qatar
• Bahrain
• United Arab Emirates (seven sheikhdoms became
  seven Emirates)

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Dubai is one of seven Emirates in U.A.E
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Ruling family of Dubai

• Sheikh Rashid often credited as initiating
  Dubais push toward a world-class city
• Sheikh Rashid died in 1990, succeeded by his son
  Sheikh Maktoum
• Sheikh Maktoum died in 2006, succeeded by his
  brother Sheikh Mohammed

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Dubai in the 1950s and 1960sDubai Creek
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Dubai in the 1950s and 1960sLooking toward
Persian Gulf
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Dubai in the 1950s and 1960sDubai Airport
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Dubai todayDubai Creek
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Dubai todayDubai Waterfront
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Dubai todayBurj Dubai
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Dubai todayBurj Al Arab and Medina Jumeirah
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Dubai todayDubai International Airport
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Dubais Environmental HistoryOrigins

• April 26, 1986 explosion at Chernobyl Nuclear
  Power Station
• 1988 Leaders of Dubai formed environmental
  section in Health Department

• 1991 Dubai Municipality (DM) worked with United
  Nations Environment Programme to form Environment
  Protection Safety Section (EPSS)

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Dubais Environmental HistoryEnvironmental
Regulations

• July 15, 1991 Local Order No. 61 had eight
  chapters governing environmental and safety
  issues, including
• Reuse and disposal of wastewater/sewage sludge
• Disposal of wasterwater in marine waters
• Air pollution control
• Noise
• Protected areas (Wildlife Sanctuaries)
• Since that time a multitude of Technical
  Guidelines have been issued to provide guidance
  on regulations

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Dubais Environmental HistoryEstablishment of
Air Monitoring Network
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Dubais Environmental HistoryEstablishment of
Environmental Department (1999)
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DM Environment DepartmentWaste Services Section

• Cleaning public areas (streets, souqs, beaches)
• Waste is delivered to designated landfill or
  treatment sites
• Regularly inspects residential, public, and
  commercial premises to ensure compliance with
  public health and cleanliness regulations

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DM Environment DepartmentEnvironment Protection
Safety Section

• Air quality monitoring
• Marine water quality monitoring and cleaning
  (Dubai Creek)

• Inspection of industrial facilities
• Licensing system (EIAs)
• Management of Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Wastes

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DM Environment DepartmentWaste Treatment Section

• Responsible for disposal of waste throughout
  Emirate (general and hazardous/medical)
• Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal facility
  near Jebel Ali
• Began operation in 2001
• Consists of
• Chemical treatment plant,
• Waste stablization plant,
• Evaporation ponds, and
• Single/double-lined landfills

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Future Environmental Challenges

• Population of Dubai is exploding (approximately
  1.2 million in 2006, expected to reach 2 million
  by 2010)
• Increase in people puts stresses on aspects of
  the environment

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Future Environmental ChallengesHigh Particulate
Levels

• Issue
• Desert nearby
• Exacerbated by extensive construction activities
• Planned solutions
• Expand the irrigation network full utilization
  of Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE)
• Increase green cover and public community parks

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Future Environmental ChallengesTraffic

• Issue
• Traffic congestion getting very bad
• Planned solutions
• Dubai Metro (Dh15 billion, or 4 billion)
• Purchase of 620 buses at a cost of more than Dh1
  billion (365 million), to be delivered in 2007
  and 2008, thereby increasing the number of buses
  to 1200 buses by 2008.
• Goal
• People will detect a visible difference in
  Dubai's roads and transport within two years"

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Future Environmental Challenges Ozone

• Issue
• High ozone levels
• Ample emissions (industries and mobile sources)
• Favorable weather (sunlight, recirculation of
  land/sea breze)
• Planned solutions
• Utilize LNG/LPG in Power Plants and large
  transport fleets (taxis, busses)

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Future Environmental Challenges Waste Disposal

• Issue
• Rapidly running out of landfill space
• Planned Solutions
• Exploring successful practices and technologies
  from around the world such as WTE (waste to
  energy systems)
• Establish centralized facilities for general
  waste sorting, construction and demolition debris
  waste recycling, and tires utilization

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Future Environmental Challenges Lack of
Conservation

• Issue
• U.A.E. found to have largest ecological footprint
  by World Wildlife Fund
• Recycling and general conservation frame of mind
  need to be instilled in local population
• Planned solutions
• Increase the number of conservation site and
  protected areas.
• Children identified as the primary target for
  environmental awareness programs
• Diversifying awareness tools to suit the mix of
  cultures and background

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Contact Information

• Zephyr Environmental Corporation
• 10420 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 320
• Columbia, Maryland 21044
• Bill Jones
• 410-312-7910 bjones_at_zephyrenv.com

visit us at www.ZephyrEnv.com and
www.HazMatAcademy.com