New partnership strengthens Dubai’s waste management strategy

Dubai Municipality has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Dubai Holding to strengthen efforts in environmental sustainability and support the city’s long-term waste management and urban development plans.

The partnership, announced during the Asia-Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum 2025, aligns with Dubai’s Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2021–2041 and the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, with the goal of establishing the emirate as a global model for sustainable, circular cities.

Under the agreement, the two sides will collaborate on reducing waste at the source, promoting recycling and reuse, and advancing the circular economy across residential, commercial, industrial and institutional sectors.

Dubai Holding will support community awareness campaigns, phase out single-use plastics, and implement composting units in selected commercial properties.

Meanwhile, Dubai Municipality will oversee pilot projects, data monitoring and technical guidance.

Dubai Municipality recently launched Circle Dubai, a comprehensive programme aimed at embedding source segregation practices across the emirate, reducing reliance on landfills and promoting a reuse-first culture.

Scope of cooperation

• The agreement outlines several key areas of cooperation to divert waste from landfills through treatment solutions, awareness campaigns and incentives.
• It includes the joint implementation of community initiatives to reduce waste generation and promote source segregation at every stage of the waste cycle.
• Dubai Municipality will oversee and support the rollout of pilot waste reduction projects across Dubai Holding’s developments, including destinations such as Global Village.
• The Municipality will coordinate with the General Secretariat of the Executive Council, support data monitoring and reporting, and provide technical guidance on compliance, segregation and facility use.
• Dubai Holding will organise awareness campaigns and community engagement initiatives across its properties to foster responsible waste practices and encourage behavioural change.
• The company will also contribute to the Municipality’s Waste Reduction Plan, with a focus on phasing out single-use plastics and raising awareness of source segregation among waste generators in residential, commercial, and institutional settings.
• To encourage composting practices, Dubai Holding will install and operate composting units in selected commercial establishments, enabling the conversion of organic waste into fertiliser.
• In addition, the company will ensure that all waste from its properties is transferred exclusively to Dubai Municipality-approved facilities, including the Material Recovery Facility, the Warsan Waste-to-Energy Centre, and engineered landfills for residual waste.