Key Sustainability Criteria Supporting the Development of Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Waste Management Systems.

Abstract

In a dry tropical climate, can a waste policy based on “full cycle” recovery of recyclables, biomass and fuel into the supply chain, provide the basis for a sustainable integrated solution for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi? This paper provides a case study examining a range of key sustainability criteria which will be used to assess on-going and future waste management options. The study compares sustainability criteria in the development of full cycle options against a preferred World Bank model in comparison to the situation in the Emirate in 2009, drawing conclusions for future development and identifying key sustainability indicators for further research. An overall conclusion from this study is that a sustainability assessment for waste management systems covering economic and environmental indicators cannot be made in isolation of wider supply chain impacts.