DM ensures clean Dubai after New Year celebrations

Following the new year celebrations and world record firework display in Dubai, the Waste Management Department of Dubai Municipality deployed special teams and intensified routine activities to manage and collect waste from various parts of the emirate, especially from Al Jumeirah and Burj Khalifa areas. Abdul Majeed Saifaie, Director of Waste Management Department, said that Dubai Municipality took all precautions to manage possible excess waste materials during the celebrations. He said the department asked the public to maintain the cleanliness levels of Dubai during celebrations, saying, "We deployed a special emergency team who had been given directions and an action plan to tackle the situation." He also thanked the officials and workers who worked hard to ensure the smooth functioning of the facilities and public places as well as the public who cooperated to minimise the volume of waste. "We arranged teams to clean up each area of the emirate, as well as an increased number of waste containers to collect excess rubbish generated during celebrations, in addition to sending teams to roam around the city with the task of maintaining general cleanliness," he said. Suhail Al Awadi, Head of Bur Dubai Cleaning Unit, said that his team started working at 1.00 a.m. on 1st January and completed the cleaning process at 5.00 p.m., collecting a total of 6,200 kg of garbage in 1,800 bags from the places where the main celebrations were organised. Khaled Mohsen, Head of Operations and Cleaning Services, said, "Special teams were sent to each area to work on 1st of January. Four emergency shifts were allocated to cover the activities during the night to ensure cleanliness during the celebrations, especially in the areas of firework displays. The waste was mostly scraps of paper, plastic, food and firework detritus. A total of 80 workers were deployed to cover the fireworks in different locations in addition to emergency teams scattered around the emirate and an additional team at Al Mamzar beach, considering the huge number of visitors.