Veolia, through its subsidiary Veolia Water Technologies, and Dubai Municipality successfully commissioned the Jebel Ali Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility, which is set to treat 600 cubic meters of hazardous liquid waste per day.
In support of the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Master Plan 2030, which is driving effective sustainable waste management, Dubai Municipalitys Waste Management Department selected Veolia Water Technologies in June 2016 to complete the supply, installation, and commissioning of the treatment facility. The move was made in readiness for the increase in hazardous liquid waste that is anticipated to be produced due to new and expanding industries in the emirate.
Thierry Froment, chief operating officer of Veolia Water Technologies, Middle East, said: Dubai is a rapidly booming market and the fast pace of urbanization exponentially increases pollutants in the environment. It is critical for governments and organisations to have a sustainable and mature waste management system. We are proud of our partnership with Dubai Municipality as it leads the way with UAEs first-of-its-kind hazardous waste management treatment facility.
The new plant can treat wastewater that is polluted by industrial wastewater, oils, heavy metals, and acidic and alkaline waste. It has the daily capacity to treat 600 cubic meters of hazardous fluids a volume equivalent to 8,000 full household bathtubs which will be transported to the plant by dozens of tankers trucks. The facility treats wastewater using appropriate process lines in dedicated plants based on their chemical composition and origin. With the ability to handle the variation in flow and load, the center also provides tertiary treatment using Reverse Osmosis (RO) system, enabling Dubai Municipality to reuse almost 75 percent of the treated wastewater for irrigation, the reject water from RO is sent to evaporation ponds to evaporate the waste water which makes the plant Zero Liquid Discharge.
Eng Abdul Majeed Saifaie, director of Waste Management Department at Dubai Municipality, said: Dubai Municipality continues to stay true to its commitment in building a sustainable future for the emirate and its residents while striving to use resources in the most efficient way. Veolia has supported us in achieving an enhanced waste management system at a time where there is a growing concern about the treatment of hazardous waste. We are very pleased with our partnership with Veolia, a globally renowned environmental partner, which has helped us become a role model to municipalities around the Middle East.