Can Collection Day enriches awareness of environment
Emirates Environmental Group brings together over 200 entities to participate in the 25th Can Collection Day Campaign in the Year of ‘Towards the Next Fity’
Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) has yet again reunited the nation for its 25th Cycle of the Can Collection Day. The programme gathered more than 200 entities from all over the country to participate. It is with the help and true efforts of numerous corporations, hotels, academic institutions and families that EEG managed to collect 1,500 kg of Aluminum Cans for recycling on Thursday -25th of February 2021.
Habiba Al Mar’ashi Chairperson of EEG said: “In celebrating the silver jubilee of this national programme, we express our gratitude to the UAE society and appreciation of the hard-work, dedication and commitment that has resulted in the massive growth of this programme over the years both in numbers of participants and the quantities collected. Ever since the initiation of the Can Collection Campaign in 1997 as the 1st community based annual recycling programme to be launched in the UAE, EEG has managed to collect 344,216 kg of Aluminum Cans which has resulted in several environmental benefits such as the mitigation of 5,167 MTCO2E, saving 8,356 m3 of landfill space and energy conservation of 78,338 million BTU”.
Habiba Al Mar’ashi thanked Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) and expressed her appreciation for their continued support by partnering with EEG and coming on board as a co-sponsor of the Can Collection Campaign for many years including 2021.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Aluminium has a key role to play in the development of a more sustainable society because it is light, strong, and infinitely recyclable. In fact, about 75 per cent of all the aluminium ever made is still in use today. Puting aluminium in landfill is a real waste of this important material for human progress. We are pleased to support Emirates Environmental Group in its work to highlight what each of us can do to recycle aluminium cans.”
EEG’S aim is to motivate and encourage every individual, from young students to working professionals, to diligently partake recycling habits. Striving to contribute effectively to one of the National Priorities of the UAE Vision 2021: Sustainable Environment and Infrastructure, whereby, the UAE Government wants to ensure sustainable development while preserving the environment and to achieve a perfect balance between economic and social development.
It is our mission, as an organisation that is accredited with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification to involve the community in local actions that create global impacts.
The campaign has been able to sustain itself for 25 years and to achieve all this success because of the support of the relevant government entities and the collaboration and commitment of the corporations particularly the hospitality sector, academic institutions, the industry and the society at large. This highlights EEG’S ability to forge effective partnerships across sectors in answer to the UN SDG No.17.
EEG appreciated several entities who have continued to provide logistical support to this campaign, i.e. AF Constructions L.L.C., Tristar Group, and Mcdonald’s UAE which has contributed to the success of the Can Collection Campaign. Lucky Recycling came on board as a Recycling
Partner once again for the campaign.
She further said that “It has always been EEG’S top priority to raise awareness and further build the capacity of all sectors of the society on issues of conservation and environmental protection through the means of active and action oriented programmes. In addition to the collection of Aluminum Cans, EEG has strong and solid programmes of other recyclables like Paper, Plastic, Glass Botles, Toners, Mobile Phones and other electronic waste. By forging ahead with such campaigns and programmes, EEG strives through its waste management and recycling programmes to fulfill the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals specifically the Goal No. 11. which calls for sustainable cities and societies, Goal No. 12 which calls for Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal No. 13 which calls for Action to deal with Climate and Goal No. 17 which calls for Building partnerships for the Goals”
This campaign is a true reflection of UAE’S dedicated people and their passion and moral sense to protect the greens and blues of the country.