Dubai announces new waste disposal fees

Authorities in Dubai are to begin charging for waste disposal based on weight at treatment plants from May.

The new fees will be applicable on waste generated by commercial establishments, factories, private and public institutions as well as residential communities and freehold properties belonging to developers that are served by private waste collection companies, according to Gulf News.

Residential areas served by Dubai Municipality waste collectors will be exempt.

For municipal waste going to landfills the new fee will be Dhs80 ($22) per tonne in 2018, Dhs90 ($25) in 2019 and Dhs100 ($27) in 2020 and thereafter.

Organic waste going to treatment plants will cost Dhs30 per tonne in 2018, Dhs40 in 2019 and Dhs50 in 2020 and beyond.

Meanwhile recyclable materials sent to sorting stations will be charged at Dhs30, Dhs40 and Dhs50 per tonne from 2018 to 2020 if they are mixed with organic waste and Dhs20, Dhs25 and Dhs30 if they are not.

The fee for agricultural waste remains constant at Dhs10 per tonne.

The director general of Dubai Municipality’s waste management department, Abdul Majeed Abdul Aziz Al Saifaie, said the transparency of the new fee structure would stop disposal companies overcharging customers.

He said building managers were being charged Dhs300 ($82) per tonne in some cases.

“So, I believe this is going to benefit the commercial sector in Dubai since many building managements are already paying higher amounts to their service providers,” he was quoted as saying.

The new fees come into effect on May 17.

Last month, the emirate launched a delayed project for the world’s largest single-site waste-to-energy plant.

Read: Dubai launches world’s largest waste-to-energy plant