Dubai Municipality Celebrates Dubai Airports’ Exceptional Sustainable Waste Management Achievements
Dubai Airports has achieved a remarkable milestone in environmental stewardship, diverting 100% of waste from landfill whilst simultaneously reducing overall waste generation and significantly advancing its recycling initiatives.
Dubai Municipality has bestowed recognition upon Dubai Airports for its outstanding accomplishments in the realm of sustainable waste management, underscoring a partnership of considerable distinction between two of the emirate’s most consequential institutions. Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, led a delegation of senior executives to witness firsthand the airport’s integrated waste management ecosystem and operational initiatives.
The accolades reflect achievements of considerable magnitude: Dubai Airports has successfully diverted 100% of its waste from landfil since May 2026, whilst simultaneously reducing overall waste generation by 5% and achieving a recycling rate of 37%. These metrics represent not merely numerical accomplishment, but rather the tangible manifestation of a steadfast commitment to circular economy principles and the objectives enshrined within the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2021-2041.
The visit encompassed a comprehensive field tour showcasing the airport’s sustainable waste management infrastructure, with particular emphasis upon waste segregation, treatment, and resource recovery initiatives. Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita observed that the achievements constitute a remarkable testament to effective institutional partnership and the transformative power of integrated collaboration. “Achieving sustainability objectives begins with integrated efforts, collaboration between entities, and the exchange of expertise, leading to tangible progress in improving resource management efficiency and advancing the principles of the circular economy,” he remarked, further noting Dubai Municipality’s continued commitment to promoting best practices and recognising models of outstanding environmental stewardship.
Majed Al Joker, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Airports, articulated the significance of embedding sustainability principles into the airport’s operational framework. The organisation’s success in combining waste diversion with waste reduction and increased recycling rates demonstrates the effectiveness of an approach centred upon resource efficiency and maximised recovery across airport facilities. This commitment extends to collaboration with Dubai Municipality and partners across the oneDXB airport community, with continued development of initiatives designed to diminish environmental impact and enhance the sustainability of aviation operations.
The recognition ceremony honoured both Dubai Municipality and Dubai Airports employees and organisational units whose dedicated efforts, technical expertise, and contributions proved instrumental in establishing and maintaining this exemplary waste management ecosystem. Dubai Municipality’s teams provided essential coordination with specialised recycling facilities across the emirate and the Warsan Waste-to-Energy Centre, addressing logistical, administrative, and operational challenges to ensure the continuity and long-term sustainability of waste diversion operations.
Source: WAM