Expo 2020 in Dubai: Why was it the "most sustainable" international Expo ever?

According to Joelle Saab, Head of Expo 2020 Project at Dulsco, which was the Official Waste Management Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, the event can be labeled as the most sustainable World Fair ever because more than 90% of cumulative waste collected before and during Expo 2020 Dubai was diverted from landfills.

Notable Key Takeaways Encircling Sustainability

? More than 1.1 million tonnes of garbage were generated at the Expo site throughout the course of the six-month event and during the construction phase.

? This was recycled, upcycled, or repurposed to ensure the finest waste management for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia's first-ever Expo.

? Ahead of Expo's launch, waste consisted mainly of construction or concrete debris, while during the event, a variety of waste items, including paper, glass, cans, and food waste, were recycled into different products.

? In addition, Dulsco used eco-friendly compostable bags for their waste management services at Expo to avoid plastic bags.

Dubai Expo Was World’s Biggest Event Since Covid-19 Outbreak

Due to the epidemic, Expo 2020 Dubai, the world's largest event since the outbreak of Covid-19, was held a year later than planned. Between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, it received almost 24 million visitors. In 2025, the next edition will be held in Japan.

Waste Management Strategy to Enrich Sustainability

The Expo 2020 Dubai team engaged all parties from the start to design waste management rules and train all stakeholders' staff to satisfy international standards and requirements, focusing on developing an expert waste management plan with its partners, including Dulsco.

?The main goal was to divert at least 85% of the garbage from landfills. A three-stream bin system was utilized for this, one for landfill waste, one for mixed recyclables, and one for organic waste. Containers for waste disposal were placed in the pavilions' front and back yards.

Educating the Visitors on Waste Segregation through Videos

Videos were shown on screens throughout Expo to teach visitors about the need for garbage separation. The goal was to engage people worldwide with video messages and branded garbage bins, making it as simple as possible for them to comprehend waste segmentation and what to put in each bin.

Lessening the Carbon Footprint

The waste collection and management organization, which employs over 12,000 people in the UAE alone, set up a facility on the Expo grounds where all the waste was carried in, emptied, and sorted into several bunkers or waste streams.

According to Dulsco's Head of Expo 2020 Project, the company was making a conscious effort to cut CO2 emissions and structure its trash transportation methods accordingly. Dulsco deployed a team of roughly 150 workers on the site.

A transfer station was established inside Expo 2020's central waste facility to reduce the amount of external excursions, where waste was loaded into ejector trailers and sent to Dulsco's treatment facilities outside. On the other hand, organic waste was generally processed on-site, with Dulsco using composters to deal with restaurant food waste.

The RDF plant, located inside the central waste facility, was used to treat organic waste. The plant is meant to treat municipal solid waste and produce RDF, which may be used to power the plant or other enterprises around the UAE as an alternative fuel source.

Recycling is the Key to an Eco-friendly Future

Recycling services must be available throughout the UAE. To put this concept into practice, an old Dulsco commercial bus was converted into a recycling bus that travels around different areas providing free recycling services to residents without access to recycling bins. Recycling bins and recycling services must be available in every new community, commercial center, and area.

People's consuming habits must alter because they frequently buy and discard items. Consumption reduction will aid in trash reduction.

Waste segregation is the most fundamental idea to grasp. When food waste is mixed with cartons and other recyclables, it becomes exceedingly difficult to recycle the garbage. As a result, ordinary waste and recyclable rubbish must be separated.

The garbage from Expo 2020 was taken to the company's facilities rather than a landfill. The mixed recyclables were separated at Dulsco's material recovery facility in Ras Al Khor. It was then divided into several types of single-stream material and ready for recycling after the segregation process.

Flawless Conversion of Bulky Items into Useful Furniture

All bulky debris was turned into new furniture and other decor pieces sold online through Dulsco's New Old and Reloved website.

It?enabled?customers to purchase new things manufactured from recycled materials that are both sustainable and environmentally friendly.

? Plastic into t-shirts: In conjunction with several small and medium businesses, the plastic gathered at Expo 2020 was recycled into t-shirts and other items.

?? Glass into memorabilia and trophies: Glass from the site was used to make mementos, trophies, fruit jars, and other items.

?? Biofuel and e-vehicles: Dulsco trucks used to collect rubbish on site were powered by a biofuel created from previously used cooking oil that was collected and recycled. Electric vehicles such as buggies and towing cars were seen throughout the grounds. In terms of mobility, it not only reduced the number of trips exiting the Expo but also cut automobile emissions on-site.

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Dubai Expo 2020 Epitomized Sustainability in a Revolutionary Manner

During the event's planning phase, one of the main focus points was sustainability. The event organizers spent almost ten months merely developing processes and procedures to ensure that all of the event's human, technological, and business requirements were met sustainably.

The Expo 2020 site required the removal of five million cubic meters of sand, much of which was up-cycled for use in building construction, and 30% of the asphalt mix used for roadways was made from recycled tires. Other projects included developing and testing concrete mixtures for structures that used up to 30% less water than conventional concrete.