Dubai Municipality and Veolia, a global leader in optimised resource management, have successfully commissioned the Jebel Ali Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility in Dubai, which can treat 600 cu m of hazardous liquid waste per day.

The plant, which can treat wastewater that is polluted by industrial wastewater, oils, heavy metals, and acidic and alkaline waste, has been constructed by Veolia subsidiary Veolia Water Technologies.

Dubai Municipality’s Waste Management Department had selected Veolia Water Technologies in June 2016 to complete the supply, installation, and commissioning of the treatment facility in support of the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Master Plan 2030, which is driving effective sustainable waste management,  

The move was made in readiness for the increase in hazardous liquid waste that is anticipated to be produced due to new and expanding industries in the emirate, said a statement from Veolia.

Thierry Froment, the chief operating officer of Veolia Water Technologies, Middle East, said: "Dubai is a rapidly booming market and the fast pace of urbanisation exponentially increases pollutants in the environment. It is critical for governments and organisations to have a sustainable and mature waste management system."

"We are proud of our partnership with Dubai Municipality as it leads the way with the UAE’s first-of-its-kind hazardous waste management treatment facility," stated Froment.

According to him, the new plant has the daily capacity to treat nearly 8,000 full household bathtubs – which will be transported to the plant by dozens of tankers trucks.

"The facility treats wastewater using appropriate process lines in dedicated plants based on their chemical composition and origin. With the ability to handle the variation in flow and load, the centre also provides tertiary treatment using the reverse osmosis (RO) system, enabling Dubai Municipality to reuse almost 75 per cent of the treated wastewater for irrigation, the reject water from RO is sent to evaporation ponds to evaporate the waste water which makes the plant Zero Liquid Discharge," he added.

Abdul Majeed Saifaie, the director of Waste Management Department at Dubai Municipality, said "We continue to stay true to our commitment in building a sustainable future for the emirate and its residents while striving to use resources in the most efficient way."

"Veolia has supported us in achieving an enhanced waste management system at a time where there is a growing concern about the treatment of hazardous waste. We are very pleased with our partnership with Veolia, a globally renowned environmental partner, which has helped us become a role model to municipalities around the Middle East," he added.

Veolia Water Technologies brings global best practices and expertise in waste management to the region through its team of specialist and proprietary technologies, which include pH adjustment, Multiflo, dissolved air flotation (DAF), biological treatment, filtration, ultrafiltration (UF) and RO, said Froment.

The French group continues to maintain a proven record of compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations, including Dubai Municipality's Environmental Impact Assessment certification.

It is trusted to optimise the hazardous waste management process chain while safely mitigating the environmental impact of its operations, he added.-TradeArabia News Service