EAD redefines waste management in Abu Dhabi

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), in collaboration with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD), has announced the successful completion of a major research milestone and the forthcoming launch of a transformative, behavioural nudging campaign designed to reshape waste management across the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The event celebrated the culmination of the first phase of a two-phase programme aimed at achieving two critical environmental objectives: reducing household waste generation and increasing recycling rate by residential households.

The campaign draws on deep scientific insights generated from a rigorous research project: “Sociological Insights on Household Waste in Abu Dhabi: Shaping Effective Behavioural Nudges.” The research was a collaborative effort conducted by a research team from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and experts from EAD.

The research process included a comprehensive global review of successful waste management strategies and the execution of a wide-reaching sociological study. More than 1,000 residents from diverse demographics were surveyed across all three regions of Abu Dhabi.

This was further enriched by qualitative research involving focus groups comprising 59 participants from 20 nationalities, including domestic workers, women and environmental advocates. The study also resulted in the development of a comprehensive interactive map of 1,500 recycling and donation sites across the emirate, categorised by 10 waste types.

Ahmed Baharoon, Executive Director of Environmental Information, Science and Outreach at EAD, spoke about the significance of the campaign, stating: “The research collaboration between the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAE) represents a pivotal step towards strengthening the emirate’s position in waste management and sustainability. As a member of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Research Network (ADERN), Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi conducted an in-depth study to understand community behaviours related to household waste management.”

Key findings revealed high levels of environmental awareness, with 64 per cent of respondents having taken recent steps to reduce their ecological impact in the past year – chief among them, plastic reduction and waste sorting. Notably, women and long-term residents emerged as the most engaged demographics. In addition, almost 50 per cent of residents are recycling at least one material – predominantly plastic, paper and clothes.