Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre (Tadweer) has revealed that its awareness activities and campaigns in 2020 delivered significant results in promoting environmental awareness across the Abu Dhabi Emirate despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to its operations.
In 2020, the Centre hosted and participated in nearly 110 awareness events and campaigns across the emirate’s three regions, including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra and actively supported several sub-campaigns in schools, private and public organisations, and commercial areas.
This allowed Tadweer to carry its message to more than 254,430 people from various segments of society including Emiratis and residents from various nationalities.
In January 2020, Tadweer’s awareness team carried out a comprehensive drive before and during the Liwa Date Festival.
The Centre sent short text messages, broadcast educational videos, distributed publications, and carried out field visits. These reached more than 1,500 people who participated in various activities held as part of the festival closely associated with the UAE’s rich history and cultural heritage.
In addition, Tadweer hosted several activities during the EcoWASTE Exhibition, Asematy initiative, HCT awareness campaign, and several other unscheduled events held in January 2020. It distributed publications developed in coordination with relevant health authorities and based on the latest guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to educate the members of the community about the precautionary measures against the COVID-19 outbreak.
In February, the Public Awareness Department at Tadweer organised and participated in 24 different festivals, campaigns, exhibitions, and scheduled and unscheduled events in close coordination with the organising committees of these events.
Tadweer also ran a series of integrated media campaigns during the Middle East Youth Expo 2020, Your Waste, Your Responsibility Exhibition, and the UAE Innovation Month.
Moreover, similar activities were carried out to raise environment awareness during various environmental, health and safety events, awareness visits to farms and ranches, school awareness drives, and the National Environment Day.
As part of its intensive agenda, Tadweer organised five scheduled and unscheduled awareness campaigns in March across Al Ain, Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra. They included a drive targeting 1,900 employees of various government entities, a campaign targeting 3,500 domestic workers, and airing multi-lingual videos and messages during different events.
The department hosted eight events in April 2020 featuring different initiatives and publications on handling food waste and requesting Tadweer’s services. It also conducted a two-phase training programme for the staff on improving their task delivery in line with the best international standards.
Furthermore, the Centre produced and distributed material on the appropriate use of pesticides to avoid any potential harm associated with pesticide exposure.
In May, Tadweer distributed publications on public health and environmental safety across the emirate, including awareness material on proper disposal of medical waste generated by COVID-19 patients.
It also broadcast videos on preventing the proliferation of ants effectively and safely through various communication channels. Furthermore, leaflets were distributed among the owners of farms and ranches as part of Your Waste, Your Responsibility campaign that targeted 35,000 people across Abu Dhabi.
The Centre also launched an initiative to highlight the precautions against COVID-19 in Al Ain region, reaching out to nearly 4,000 workers.
Tadweer also took part in an event as part of its support for Asematy initiative in June to educate the public about the proper handling of food waste.
It also aired an educational video on pest control across Abu Dhabi’s three regions, conducted a campaign targeting the owners of ranches in Al Ain, and educate the viewers of Al Ain Channel and participants of Al Wathba Summer 2020 about the importance of environmental protection.
In July, the department stepped up awareness efforts on the sidelines of six major events held in Abu Dhabi including Al Wathba Summer 2020, Liwa Date Festival, Globe Summer Activities, Al Ain Virtual Population Forum, and Ruwais e-Summer Programme. These activities reached to more 4,000 people in the targeted areas.
The team continued its engagement with the Al Wathba Summer 2020 in August 2020. The team engaged with more 700 people during its participation in Shamma Mohammed Environmental Awareness Forum and a drive held in Al Ain to promote the cleanliness of ranches and educate people about the proper handling of stray animals.
In September 2020, Tadweer launched the "Al Dhafra Deserves" campaign that ran for 90 days and included both field and virtual activities. Run under the theme "Your Waste, Your Responsibility", the campaign aimed to enhance environmental awareness among the people of Al Dhafra Region and featured activities designed to promote proper waste handling practices in a bid to prevent littering, protect public health and contribute to the environmental conservation. As part of the campaign, Tadweer distributed more than 20,000 leaflets, carried out 12,000 field visits, and launched a beach clean-up drive given the ongoing preventive measures taken by Abu Dhabi to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak.
The department increased its efforts and activities in October 2020 by circulating leaflets and posters at more than 20 scheduled and unscheduled events in close collaboration with its strategic partners. These activities helped the Centre to communicate its message to 10,000 people across the three regions of Abu Dhabi.
In Al Ain, Tadweer launched a virtual campaign to educate school students about proper waste handling practices and highlight the negative impacts of littering on the environment. To elevate awareness of students, the Centre distributed material providing information on personal hygiene and other key messages relevant to all students.
In November, Tadweer carried out a campaign to educate drivers and the general public in Abu Dhabi about the importance of correct waste management practices. Conducted in collaboration with its strategic partners, the drive encouraged motorists and the general public to dispose of waste in designated bins to ensure the cleanliness of public facilities including roads, pavements, car parks and passenger waiting areas.
Throughout the campaign, Tadweer utilised various virtual communication tools including display boards to reach out to the targeted audiences in multiple languages. In collaboration with Emirates Transport, the Centre sent 3,908 text messages to drivers in Abu Dhabi, 1,240 messages to drivers in Al Ain, and 409 messages to drivers in Al Dhafra.
It also collaborated with the General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police to disseminate 36,000 messages to motorists, and broadcast videos through various social media channels receiving more than 100,000 views.
The Integrated Transport Centre also supported this drive by displaying messages at eight bus stations and educating taxi drivers about the proper methods of handling waste. The drive took Tadweer’s message to 2,978 people in Abu Dhabi, 556 in Al Ain, and 32 in Al Dhafra region.
Furthermore, it communicated its message to 1,094 people using bus services in Abu Dhabi, 313 people in Al Ain and 160 people in Al Dhafra in line with its objective of reaching out to the widest audience possible and sensitising them to the importance of following proper waste handling methods.
In November, Tadweer launched a virtual campaign targeting both students and teaching staff of Abu Dhabi Emirate’s kindergartens, schools, colleges and universities.
Run in close collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Education and Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), the drive reached out to 9,000 students from various educational institutions and supported the emirate’s efforts to promote environmental awareness and encourage students and staff to adopt sound and environmentally responsible practices.
During the Al Dhafra Festival and camel beauty contest, Tadweer’s teams engaged with more than 100 ranch owners. It also carried out a campaign and social responsibility workshop targeting ranch owners and campers across Abu Dhabi’s three regions.
Tadweer continued its strategic association with the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival and Al Dhafra Festival through its active participation in both events. It hosted a series of virtual lectures to promote environmentally responsible behaviour among different segments of society and educate them about the handling of waste and pest control practices in a bid to create a clean and pollution-free environment in the emirate.
Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, Director-General of Tadweer, said, "The praiseworthy outcomes achieved by Tadweer in 2020 are a testament to the diligence of our teams who delivered on Tadweer’s mandate to foster environmental awareness despite the unprecedented challenges they faced due to COVID-10 outbreak. Their efforts significantly contributed to sensitising different segments of society to the importance of following proper methods in waste disposal and pest control. This will go a long way in preserving our environment and ensuring public health and safety in line with the objectives of Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030."