Emirates Environmental Group honours 60 waste champions for their contribution to the environment

• EEG collects 16 million kg of paper for recycling 
• Habiba Al Mar’ashi : EEG has contributed to saving 307,775 trees from being cut
• EEG’s campaigns have mitigated 68,843 MT of CO2 emissions

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Emirates Environmental Group celebrated the eco champions of recycling in the UAE in a grand event organised at the Dubai Knowledge Park on the occasion of the World Environment Day in the presence of a galaxy of VIP’s, CEO’s of Companies, Principles of schools, families, teachers and the Media

In her opening speech she mentioned that the world celebrations are being organised this year under the theme of “Beat Plastic Pollution”, which perfectly align with the vision and mission of EEG. EEG has tirelessly worked for 27 years to fight the perils of waste and to ensure that as little of it enters our landfills in the UAE.

Since the inception of EEG, they have successfully diverted

• More than 16,000,000 Kg of paper,
• Almost 300,000 Kg of Aluminum Cans,
• Almost 45, 000 of pieces of mobile phones,
• Almost 1,000,000 Kg of plastic,
• Nearly 2,500,000 Kg of glass and
• More than 90,000 pieces of printer toner

EEG’s efforts have led to the

• Mitigation of 68,843 MT of CO2 emissions or in other words, equivalent to about 17,968 cars being removed of the road for one year.
• Preservation of 103,686 m3 of landfill space, equivalent to 40 Olympic sized swimming pools.
• Conservation of 308,775 trees from being felled, equivalent to 350 hectares of forest area.

Mrs. Al Mar’ashi said that EEG was established in 1991 and since its inception it has set up an effective waste management system and extensive educational awareness programmes. Today EEG has an active accreditation with the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), UNCCD (United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification), and is a member of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and UNGC (United Nations Global Compact).

The EEG Chairperson welcomed the guests to the 21^st Annual Awarding Ceremony. Emirates Environmental Group actively engages nearly 2,000 schools and up to 500 companies through its various waste management and educational programmes on an annual basis.  It celebrated and honoured the eco-champions who have voluntarily out of their own sense of social responsibility joined EEG’s waste management campaigns and worked hard to produce some wonderful results.

The outcomes of EEG’s waste management programmes are indeed very powerful and long lasting. They have developed educational and awareness programmes, resource materials and public events. They have worked with schools to create generations of eco-warriors. They have collaborated with businesses to create a pool of environmental ambassadors.

“EEG works closely with government institutions to contribute effectively in changing the rules of the game and advance sustainable development through strategies, policies and initiatives. The focus is on providing an alternate to landfilling household wastes. They have also promoted the growth of the market for recycled products at the local level.” She concluded

The winners of the six campaigns were divided into three categories, - corporations, academic institutions and individuals/families.

• For Paper the winners were UAE Exchange Ajman (138,640 Kg), Abu Dhabi Women's College (29,389 Kg) and Master Satvik Vashisht (10,290 Kg)
• For Plastic, the winners were Abela & Co. LLC (10,560 Kg), Mzeirea School – Hatta (875 Kg), and Ms. Shanina Karyle Cuarto  (1,184 Kg)
• For Cans, the winners were Emirates Flight Catering (3,355 Kg), United International Private School (699 Kg), and Ms. Neola Castelino (321 Kg)
• For Mobiles, the winners were Dubai Public Prosecution (4,069 Pcs), Our Own High School, Al Warqa’a (505 Pcs), and Ms. Mythri Murali Kannan (123 Pcs)
• For Glass, the winners were Gloria Hotel Dubai (16,534 Kg), American University of Sharjah (475 Kg), and Master Adithiyan Rajan (253 Kg)
• For Toners, the winners were Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (2,033 Pcs), The Millennium School, Dubai (232 Pcs), and Ms. Nityashri Sankaran (347 Pcs)

The sponsors and supporters were appreciated for their contribution to the successful contribution to the event. The sponsors are:  Gold Sponsor Dubai Investments, Silver Sponsors Mashreq Bank, McDonalds UAE & DBB Contracting LLC and National Geographic Abu Dhabi.

The support sponsors were also recognised and they were; Apparel Group, Avon Perfumes and Beauty Products Trading, Brother International, Canon M.E., Cool & Cool, ITL Group, Kidzania Dubai and Nikai.

The Dubai International Academic City was also acknowledged and commended wholeheartedly for generously providing a befitting venue for the event.

The event was carbon neutral courtesy of My Climate in Switzerland and its local partner Farnek.

-Ends-

Emirates Environmental Group (EEG): EEG is a professional working group devoted to protecting the environment through the means of education, action programmes and community involvement.  It is the first environmental NGO in the world to be ISO 14001 certified and the only organisation of its kind in the UAE with accredited status to the United Nations Convention to Combating Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). EEG is the member of the UN Global Compact, the International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN).

For more information contact us: email: eeg@emirates.net.ae ; Tel: 04-3448622;
Fax: 04-3448677 and please visit our bi-lingual website: www.eeg-uae.org ; 
Follow us on FB: @EmiratesEnvironmentalGroup; Twitter: @eeg_uae; Instagram: @EEG_DUBAI

© Press Release 2018