Dubai Municipality has announced that two million plastic bottles, equivalent to about 40 tonnes of plastic, have so far been collected and recycled under its Bottle2Bag initiative. The programme aims to turn discarded bottles into school bags while promoting a culture of recycling.

Dubai Municipality said on Tuesday, October 20, that it had showcased the initiative at the 28th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2026), being held from October 20 to 22 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

At the exhibition, Dubai Municipality also showcased a range of projects focused on sustainable infrastructure development, integrated waste management, innovation in the construction industry, and improvements to public health and safety.

Adel Mohammed Al Marzouqi, chief executive of Dubai Municipality’s Waste and Sewerage Agency, said: “Our participation in WETEX reflects Dubai Municipality’s commitment to developing more sustainable and resilient infrastructure through integrated planning, innovative technologies and efficient resource management.”

He added: “We are advancing projects that strengthen the waste management system, create opportunities to recover and reuse valuable materials, and enhance the capacity of critical infrastructure to meet Dubai’s continued urban growth and environmental challenges.”

Extensive plastic bottle collection network

The Bottle2Bag initiative demonstrates how recycling can create environmental and social value. By encouraging residents to recover and reuse plastic, the programme raises public awareness of responsible consumption and the importance of recyclable resources.

An extensive network of collection points and equipment has been established across Dubai to support the initiative. It includes smart collection machines at educational institutions, 11 bottle collection machines at Dubai Municipality centres and partner facilities, and 20 dedicated collection bins at public beaches.

A further 13 recyclable material collection centres, known as Smart Sustainability Oases, operate in residential areas across Dubai.

Dubai Municipality said more than 90 organisations had participated in its environmental and corporate social responsibility activities.

The municipality stressed that converting used bottles into practical products helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption compared with producing plastic from virgin raw materials.

The initiative also enables broader community participation in recycling programmes and the development of a circular economy.

Bottle2Bag is being implemented as part of the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2021–2041. The strategy aims to divert 100 per cent of waste from landfill and recycle 50 per cent of waste.

Circle Dubai initiative aims to reduce waste generation

Dubai Municipality also unveiled the Circle Dubai initiative at WETEX. The programme aims to reduce waste generation, increase recycling and improve waste management practices across Dubai.

The initiative focuses on community participation and changing residents’ behaviour. It forms part of a wider transformation programme that will continue beyond 2041.

The programme aims to reduce waste generation and achieve full waste segregation at source across all residential areas in Dubai.

To achieve this goal, integrated education and awareness campaigns will be carried out with the support of specialist teams and modern communication tools to promote zero-waste principles throughout the community.

Digital waste producer information management system

Dubai Municipality also unveiled the Waste Producers System, a digital solution designed to strengthen governance, transparency and oversight in Dubai’s waste management sector.

Under the system, licensed waste transport companies use an integrated digital platform to register their contracts with waste producers.

The recorded information includes the location and type of activity of waste-generating facilities, the types of waste produced, and the number and capacity of collection containers.

Consolidating this information in a comprehensive database will help standardise contracting procedures, improve regulatory compliance monitoring and increase transparency in waste management operations.

The system also features an interactive dashboard that provides managers with accurate, real-time information for planning and data-driven decision-making.

A specialist team within the Waste Operations Department will oversee the registration, verification and analysis of the information.

AED30 billion project to expand Dubai’s stormwater drainage network

Another Dubai Municipality project showcased at WETEX was the strategic Tasreef programme, launched in 2024 to develop and expand the city’s stormwater drainage network.

The project involves an investment of AED30 billion and aims to increase the capacity of Dubai’s stormwater drainage network by 700 per cent.

Once completed, the network will be able to manage more than 20 million cubic metres of rainwater per day.

The Tasreef project is scheduled for completion in 2033.

Dubai Municipality said the project would strengthen the city’s preparedness for extreme weather and future climate challenges while helping protect residents, property and critical urban infrastructure.

Building Materials Passport System unveiled

In the construction sector, Dubai Municipality also unveiled the Building Materials Passport System.

The system creates a structured digital record of the technical specifications and other information related to building materials throughout their life cycle.

The recorded data covers every stage, from the design, production, transport and installation of materials to their processing, dismantling, reuse and management at the end of their useful life.

By improving access to information and enabling material traceability, the system supports more informed decisions on material selection, recovery and reuse.

It also encourages greater use of recycled construction materials and helps reduce the carbon footprint of infrastructure projects.

Dubai Municipality underscores commitment to sustainable infrastructure

Al Marzouqi concluded: “These initiatives form part of our broader approach to creating an efficient and sustainable infrastructure system that supports the circular economy, reduces environmental impact and generates long-term value for the city.”

He added that the projects would also contribute to the goals of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2021–2041 and the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031.