15th EEG prize giving ceremony Knowledge Village

The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) organized the 15^th cycle of the Waste Management and Recycling Programs Awarding Ceremony in commemoration of World Environment Day on the 5^th of June at KnowledgeVillage, Dubai. The Awards this year were honoured by the presence of HE Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi, Former Minister of Environment and Water and EEG Honourary Member; HE Brigadier Ahmad Obaid Al Sayegh, Assistant Director General, for Fire Fighting and Rescue of Dubai Civil Defence; HE Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and EEG Honourary; Mr. Farid Ahmed, Secretary General, Dubai World and EEG Honourary Member; Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Midfa, Vice  Chair of EEG, ambassadors, EEG Honorary members, Executive Committee Members and VIPs. 

Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi kick started the event with a warm welcoming address that spoke of the importance of organising this event on the 5^th of June. “Today, at this very moment, governments, academic institutions and voluntary organisations around the world are conducting special activities and events in honour of World Environment Day. The goal is clear – feel one as a world population and work towards the conservation and preservation of the Earth’s natural resources,” she said.

The Waste Management & Recycling Awards are held every year to honour and reward members and supporters who have stood by EEG in its journey towards sustainability. These individuals, companies and educational institutions have participated and excelled in EEG’s expansive Waste Management portfolio consisting of Paper, Plastic, Glass, Aluminium Cans, Toners, Batters, Mobile Phones and TetraPak Beverage Containers.

Mrs. Al Marashi went on to highlight the achievements of EEG in 2011. In the 2011-2012 cycle of the Can Collection Campaign, EEG was successful in collecting and sending for recycling a whopping 18,182 kilograms of Aluminium Cans. The Paper Collection Campaign, one of the most popular Campaigns under the banner of EEG’s Waste Management, saw a collection of 1,134,675 kilograms of Paper, while the Plastic Collection Campaign resulted in the recycling of 97,210 kilograms.

Glass collected by EEG in the year 2011 amounted to a total of 274,151 kilograms, which has been recycled. 

The Toner Collection Campaign that began in May 2001 resulted in a collection of 7079 cartridges in the year 2011. The Battery Collection Campaign saw a collection of 47,058 pieces of Batteries. These Batteries are properly disposed off by DubaiMunicipality.

The most recently launched Campaigns from EEG are the Mobile Collection Campaign and TetraPak Container Collection Campaign that saw collections of 1,103 Mobiles Phones and 4,536 kilograms of TetraPak Beverage Containers in 2011.

These achievements must be attributed to an enthusiastic participation from 377 academic institutions, 1031 corporate bodies and 652 individuals/families.

EEG also awarded winners of the Environmental Drawing Competition on this occasion. This competition was held for two categories – between the age groups of 6-8 years and 9-11 years. . The topic for the first group was “Every Drop Matters” and the topic for the older group was “My Climate My Responsibility”. EEG also arranged for a special display area where the drawings of the winners were exhibited. The winner of the 6-8 age group was Moaad Mohommad Al Khadeem (Albara Bin Malik – Fujaira) and the winner of the 9-11 age group was Mathany Obayed Mohommad (Diyar International Private School).

This year, too, the popular sideline event, Art from Waste exhibition, was organized along with the Awards. This exhibition showcased the creativity and talent of school students as they displayed their curios and art work made from scrap and waste. Students came forth with innovative artwork such as curios, dolls, UAE landmarks, photo frames, doll houses, animals – all made from wastes such as plastic containers, old paper and magazines, aluminum cans and the like.

The main sponsor of EEG’s Waste Management & Recycling Awards was Al Safi Club for Friends of the Environment supported by the DubaiInternationalAcademicCity. The support sponsors of the event included Brother International, Swiss International Airlines, ITL Middle East and Canon Middle East. Frigo Glass Jebel Ali were the sponsors for the Award for the winner of the Glass Collection Campaign, while TetraPak and Nokia were the support sponsors for the TetraPak Beverage Collection Campaign and Mobile Collection Campaign, respectively.

EEG would also like to thank the supporters and sponsors of the 2012 Can Collection Drive. It was held in association with the FujairahMunicipality, RAK Free Trade Zone and Ajman Free Zone Authority. The main sponsor of the Drive is the Al Safi Club for Friends of the Environment with Emirates NBD as support sponsor.

It was also supported by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, American International School-Abu Dhabi, Al Ain English Speaking School, Al Serkal Group, Our Own English High School – Fujairah, Al Futtaim Carillion, McDonald's, Radisson Blu-Sharjah, Sri Sathya Sai Service Organisation, Abela & Co., Khadamat Facilities ETA Zenath, DHL and Zajel as courier partner. Gulf News and 7Days are the media sponsors.