Austrian Minister Of Environment And Agriculture Visits Site Of The World’s Largest Landfill Remediation Project In Sharjah

Emirates Environmental Technology Announces That 75 Per Cent Of The Old Landfill Has Been Remediated

Dr. Josef Proell, Minister of Environment and Agriculture, Austria and HE Dr. Gerald Kriechbaum, the Ambassador of Austria in the UAE, along with Sheikh Mohamed Bin Saud Al Qasimi, visited yesterday (November 17, 2007), the site of the world’s largest landfill remediation project in Sharjah. Emirates Environmental Technology (EET) Co. LLC, a leading provider of waste management solutions for cities, districts, companies and private individuals, announced on the sidelines of the visit that 75 per cent of the work has been completed with the remaining 25 per cent due for completion by December 2008. Also present at the site were Dr Salah Tahir Al Haj, Director General, Sharjah Municipality, and members from the Austrian delegation accompanying the Minister and officials from EET, IUT Group, Sharjah Municipality, and Halcrow, the project consultants.

The massive work involved in the Sharjah landfill remediation project includes excavation of approximately seven million cubic meters of landfill waste. EET has partnered with Austrian-based IUT Group, to deploy the latest technologies, which will ensure that the project will adhere to the highest quality standards while reducing residual wastes that will harm the environment. Upon delivery, the project will increase Sharjah’s suitable land area and allow developers to construct shopping malls, hospitals, hotels and residential complexes in a location that has been cleared of all environmental hazards. At present, the 75 per cent of the total area which has been remediated is being prepared for the construction of preliminary infrastructure, building, roads and the new highway.

Commenting on the progress of the project, Tania Afram, Chief Commercial Officer, EET, said, “The progress of the Sharjah landfill remediation project till date is a testament to EET’s capability to effectively handle large scale projects that require a combination of the latest technology, industry expertise, and an acute awareness of the challenges associated with such projects. Our dedicated team of experienced professionals has adopted the latest solutions for sustainable and cost-efficient landfill remediation, which has ensured that the project will adhere to its predetermined delivery schedule.”

In addition to the landfill remediation project, the Sharjah Municipality has also entrusted EET with the management of a new landfill with a modern cell for dumping waste in accordance with European standards. Upon completion of the project in 2009, the landfill will receive and manage more than 4000 tons of solid waste per day in its location in Al Sajja (Bridge No. 8), near the Sharjah Airport road. Aside from the projects in Sharjah, EET also maintains a number of high-profile ventures in other emirates including a recycling and sorting plant in Al Ain, which the company has designed, installed and erected and will manage for the next 10 years.

“The UAE is at the forefront of a region-wide economic progress, and the Sharjah Government plays an important role in this development by taking important initiatives to develop additional land areas that will accommodate more businesses from local and international investors. The implementation of said initiatives has rendered the Sharjah landfill remediation project as an important undertaking, which will boost the emirate’s efforts to build itself as a business and hospitality hub. It brings us pride to become a partner of the Sharjah Municipality in this monumental development, which is being completed in total adherence to environmentally-safe measures,” added Afram.

A team comprising of eight highly experienced engineers and more than 250 people at the site is responsible for the landfill remediation project in Sharjah. Two sorting lines and over 33 pieces of mobile mechanical equipment have also been deployed. Further, EET is using the Smell Well system to aerate and stabilize the landfill waste in addition to deploying the internationally renowned optimized waste sorting and treatment technology in conjunction with Innovation und Technik GmbH & Co KG (IUT Group).

“The interest generated by the Sharjah landfill remediation project from the Republic of Austria is a testament to Sharjah’s deep commitment to leverage its capacity to nurture a sustainable business and residential community within its enclaves. The Austrian government is also interested to get carbon credits from this project, and we will aim to leverage our close partnership with both the Sharjah Municipality and the IUT Group to further the achievements till date,” concluded Afram.
 

View News Headlines