Dubai: desert clean-up drive starts thursday

The desert, a vital part of UAE culture and heritage, is not only an important component of economic growth, it is home to hundreds of species other than man, whether plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, arachnids or insects. The 10-day campaign enters its second year and will focus on various clean-up and awareness initiatives. "We want to take this message to everyone that when they enjoy or use a place, they should leave it clean for others to be able to use it too. Residents and thousands of tourists like to visit the desert, but leaving it unclean is not only an environmental hazard, it can also be dangerous to the life of animals like camels," Abdul Majeed Saifaie, Director of Waste Management Department at the Municipality, told Gulf News. "People usually leave plastic bags, cans, huge amounts of garbage, tyres etc., without thinking about the impact on others and also distorting the appearance of the desert. Through the campaign, we will also try to instill in them the spirit of keeping all public places clean and tell them appropriate ways to dispose off waste," Saifaie said. Experts point out that several kinds of wastes like plastic, car batteries, etc. cause the maximum damage as these are non-biodegradable. Last year, 5,400 volunteers participated in the campaign and collected 266 tons of waste, which included plastic waste (1.5 tons), construction material, tyres, and general waste. Dubai - Gulf news