Waste is outpacing population growth – and this requires urgent action

The issue of how to manage waste is not a new one. Tackling the vast amounts of it that countries generate is a task for no one nation. Global waste is projected to reach 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, growing more than twice as fast as the global population.

This points to the urgent need to tackle waste and the challenges of recycling.

The shift from a linear to a circular economy continues to dominate the waste management conversation. At the heart of this transition are the 3Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. To measure progress, however, it is crucial to collaborate with international partners and establish metrics and universal baseline measurements to implement a circular economy.

Insights from the 2025 edition of the EcoWaste conference held in January in Abu Dhabi underscored the importance of embedding sustainability at the design stage of products and infrastructure to improve the rates of reuse and recycling.

In the UAE, projects such as Masdar City are constructed with low-carbon cement and use 90 per cent recycled aluminum. This goes to show how design decisions at an early stage can reduce emissions and increase material reuse. Such efforts reflect the broader objectives of the UAE’s Circular Economy Policy 2021–2031, which is a blueprint for sustainable development in the region. On the global stage, the Netherlands is leading the charge in Europe with its commitment to achieving a fully circular economy by 2050.

According to the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor, annual e-waste generation is projected to increase by 2.6 million tonnes each year, reaching an estimated 82 million tonnes by 2030 – a 33 per cent rise from the 62 million tonnes recorded in 2022. Alarmingly, this growth is occurring five times faster than the documented rates of e-waste recycling.

Addressing this challenge requires collaboration to drive innovations in e-waste recycling, such as automated sorting and chemical recycling, to meet the UN's goal of achieving a 60 per cent recycling rate by 2030. The UAE is taking a leading role, with Enviroserve, the region's first integrated e-waste processing hub, capable of recycling up to 39,000 tonnes annually.

On the global stage, companies such as Apple are setting examples with scalable solutions like the “Daisy” robot, which disassembles old devices to recover rare materials. Concepts such as these illustrate how cutting-edge technologies can help tackle the growing e-waste crisis.

Waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies are key solutions for reducing landfill waste and generating clean energy by converting non-recyclable waste into electricity and heat.

In the UAE, Tadweer Group leads the development of the world’s most advanced WtE facility, set to process 900,000 tonnes of waste annually and reduce carbon emissions by 1.1 million tonnes a year. This will set new benchmarks for WtE energy in scale, efficiency, and environmental impact. Similarly, the Sharjah Waste-to-Energy plant processes 300,000 tonnes of waste annually, powering over 28,000 homes, while the Warsan Waste Management Centre can generate 220 megawatt-hours of renewable energy annually, which can power 135,000 residential units.

Countries such as Sweden have refined WtE processes to the point of importing waste for energy generation. It just highlights how WtE technologies can drive the future of sustainable waste management and clean energy.

With traditional waste collection fleets contributing to urban emissions, waste collection systems are being transformed to align with decarbonisation goals. Electric and hybrid waste collection fleets are gaining traction, and biofuels are being explored as viable alternatives to diesel.

At last month's EcoWaste conference, the UK's Greater Cambridge councils outlined their innovative approach to decarbonising their refuse collection fleets. Their strategy includes the adoption of electric refuse vehicles, the use of solar-powered depots, and investment in biofuel alternatives to speed up their journey towards net-zero emissions. These initiatives collectively highlight the growing commitment to integrating clean energy solutions into waste management, thus trying to ensure a greener and more sustainable urban future.

Importantly, the role of people and public engagement in waste management is evolving from passive awareness to active participation. Part of this change is due to innovative solutions such as reverse vending machines (RVMs), which incentivise recycling by rewarding users for returning bottles and cans.

Their adoption has gained momentum globally, and are being used widely across Dubai and Abu Dhabi with more installations anticipated this year. Globally, countries such as Germany and Norway set the benchmark for RVM adoption, achieving recycling rates exceeding 90 per cent. These systems demonstrate the critical role people play in sustainability efforts. Emerging trends such as RVMs – enabled by the Internet of Things – are set to streamline public participation.

As we look to 2025, it is clear that addressing the global waste challenge requires a multifaceted approach. Guided by its ambitious Net Zero 2050 Strategy, the UAE leadership in sustainability demonstrates what is possible when innovation, policy and public engagement converge. The World Future Energy Summit and the EcoWaste exhibition point to the nation’s efforts to this end. By investing in circular economy strategies, leveraging emerging technologies, and fostering global collaboration, the world can turn waste into opportunity.

Tadweer Group, part of ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based holding company, is promoting sustainable waste practices and establishing new benchmarks for the circular economy. The company’s vision is aimed at revolutionising waste management by unlocking the value of waste.

As the sole custodian of waste management in Abu Dhabi, Tadweer Group is committed to using advanced technologies and fostering strategic partnerships in support of the UAE's sustainability objectives, working towards its goal of diverting 80 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste away from landfills by 2030.

Besides its commitment to Abu Dhabi, Tadweer Group has ambitious international goals. It's striving to make significant contributions to sustainable waste management even beyond the UAE.