Before rolling out the service, I strongly encourage the municipality to make all efforts to educate residents and staff about how and what to recycle in their homes.

 

As a seven-year resident of the Palm Jumeirah, where villas have all been using separate rubbish and recycling bins for years, residents have never received any information about how to read labels and look for the different recycling symbols and what can and cannot be recycled, such as paper, magazines, menus, cardboard, glass, cans and plastics.

 

Supermarkets here carry items from all over the world. Some plastics and metal cans are not recyclable for example.

 

Before moving here, I was recycling in the United States for 20 years. I can assure you many residents and most household staff are not properly recycling here in the UAE.

 

This comes as no surprise as many people do not recycle in their home countries. Stickers for bins and pamphlets in several languages should be provided to all homes. In addition, bags for the green bins should have pictures and descriptions of items which should be go in them.

 

It also be extended beyond residential communities. Separate bins should also be placed in places like around schools, parks, beaches and malls.

 

Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/feedback/recycling-sch...