Don’t ‘dump’ documents

By PMA RASHEED 

24 May 2011, The Gulf Today

SHARJAH: Improper document disposal increases incidents of confidential data and identity theft, pointed out Sharjah’s semi-government environment and waste management authority Bee’ah.

Several types of confidential information are highly vulnerable to abuse by criminals if simply thrown into dustbins, a senior Beea’h official warned on Monday.
Walid Zabaneh, vice president of Business Development and Strategy at Bee’ah, told The Gulf Today that a number of security breaches can be traced back to mishandled, lost or stolen documents.
“UAE authorities are stepping up measures to tackle circumstances leading to information theft including dumpster diving, cheque scams and false identity cases,” added Khalid Al Huraimel, CEO, Bee’ah.
“In some cases, information theft may potentially jeopardise national security and turn out as a contributor to massive financial losses for companies and individuals.”
He advised that all kinds of debris, especially confidential documents and electronic information, should be discarded responsibly and, and if possible in an environmentally friendly way.
The Bee’ah recently linked up with the Sharjah Immigration Department to crack down on waste scavengers in the Emirate in a joint initiative to curb issues related to insecurity of personal information.
“Information including financial data, figures, company records, facts, private statistics and information about clients or projects have to be protectively disposed after use, or you will have to face severe consequences,” pointed out Zabaneh.
“However, no specific local figures are available for public on the increase in identity theft or breach of information security laws, linked to the unsafe disposal of documents.”
Speaking about Bee’ah’s confidential document destruction and recycling project aimed at protecting businesses, Zabaneh stated that determining the link between data breaches and identity theft is challenging, primarily because identity theft victims often do not know how their personal information was obtained.
“In several cases the reason for the data breach and eventual identity theft can be the stack of potentially confidential data disposed with regular trash by the office staff or the tiny credit card receipt, thrown casually in the trash after a shopping trip,” he elaborated.
“The implications of improper destruction of crucial data are the cause of huge losses to businesses and individuals alike,” Zabaneh added.
Introducing its confidential document destruction and recycling service as a safe, secure and environmentally responsible procedure, Bee’ah urges businesses in the UAE to employ properly document disposal procedures to reduce incidents of data theft and security breach.
Zabaneh said, “Waste-scavengers intentionally explore sites, where waste of their target companies are being dumped, in hopes of uncovering important information and selling them to wrong people.”
According to him, business entities should implement a ‘shred-all’ policy for all unwanted documents, on a regular basis, to avoid risks. “Special locked consoles have to be provided to deposit confidential documents, instead of recycling bins.”
“Bee’ah also has a mobile shredding unit with trained operatives to destroy documents on-site. All shredded material is then recycled and on completion a certificate is issued confirming the secure destruction and recycling of documents,” Zabaneh
“Since the launch of the service in 2009, Bee’ah has securely managed to destroy and recycle over 1,000 tonnes of paper which is equivalent to saving 17,000 trees,” he concluded.

Sewage system now covers the entire Dubai

By PMA RASHEED

18 Jan 2011, The Gulf Today

A number of newly developed areas in Dubai, including locations around Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, Dubai Marina and Aweer have been linked to the main sewage network of the city.

Dubai Municipality (DM) says that the delivery of sewerage services has been ensured in the entire areas of the city with the completion of the several new projects, including the establishment of a giant sewage water treatment plant at Jebel Ali at an estimated cost of Dhs1.55 billion.

Talib Julfar, the director of Drainage and Irrigation Department at the DM, said that new plant, second phase of which was completed in 2010, would be the main sewage treatment plant for the city in place of the current Al Aweer plant.

“An odour treatment plant was also set up to prevent emission of unpleasant stench affecting the surrounding areas,” he added.

“The waste water treatment plant, spanning over an area of 670 hectares of land, has a capacity of processing 300,000 cubic metres per day, 150,000 cubic metres for each phase,” elaborated Julfar.

“Giant sewage pumping stations and pipelines, including a project at an estimated cost of Dhs580 million have been set up to transfer sewage from DubaiÕs different areas to the plant and transfer treated irrigation water to various locations in the city,” he noted.

According to him, the project includes a solid waste treatment plant, which produces fertiliser as a source of economic return from the treatment processes.

“Another sewage pumping station and pumping lines at a cost Dhs191 million has also been completed with a pumping capacity of 2,000 litres per second. The third sewage water pumping station and pumping lines was constructed within a period of two years at an estimated cost of Dhs586 million.”

“The new pumping station near Arabian Ranches Roundabout has a pumping capacity of 9,600 litres per second. Several irrigation projects have been implemented to deliver potable water for irrigation from the new main sewage treatment plant at Jebel Ali,” said Julfar.

“The drainage and irrigation department could cover all the green areas in Dubai through a Dhs258 million project of extending a treated irrigation water line from the main treatment plant,” he added.

Another project of the similar nature was completed recently at a cost Dhs310 million, including a pumping station located at the Dubai-Al Ain road for the delivery of irrigation water until the Jebel AliÐAl Hebab intersection.

“A project for the main irrigation lines to Aweer farms was completed recently at a cost of Dhs103 million, covering an area of 1,346 hectares with a pumping capacity of 500 litres per second,” Julfar noted.

“The project for main irrigation lines on Dubai Bypass Road was completed recently at a cost of Dhs60 million. It includes construction of 12,100 metres long irrigation pipeline network with 1,400mm diameter,” he added.

“The project aims to use treated water for irrigation purposes in the projects developed along the line, as well as improve the pressure in the old network and the estimated capacity is 135,000 cubic metres per day,” concluded Julfar.

Waste recycling project on anvil for Nothern Emirates

By PMA RASHEED 

8 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

THE UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) has announced on Monday plans to implement an integrated solid waste recycling project for the Northern Emirates.

The project, to be carried out in tandem with the Ministry of Public Works, is excepted to commence by mid-year, after a primary study on the solid waste generated in the emirates of Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah is conducted.
Dr Ahmed Rashid Bin Fahad, the Minister of Environment and Water, told The Gulf Today that according to currently available statistics, the Northern Emirates generate about 30 million tonnes of solid waste per year.
“The project will effectively resolve issues related to the massive amount of waste by establishing environmentally-friendly recycling plants in these Emirates,” he added.
“The project will begin, once the primary study on the waste processing and recycling mechanism is completed and approved by the UAE Ministerial Council for Services,” said Dr Fahad.
“The conceptual study will last for three months at an initial cost of up to Dhs2.5 million,” he revealed.
Fareed Al Katheeri, director of the Technical Studies Department at the Ministry of Public Works, said that the study will look into the possibility of finding appropriate solutions to the problem of waste and the feasibility of implementing the project.
“The present waste production will also be surveyed, in addition to analysing and evaluating the existing systems for waste management. The study will focus on the concepts of waste materials segregation from the source to the disposal levels,” he added.
According to Dr Fahad, the project will be implemented in partnership with both the public and private sector establishments, in order to achieve sustainable development in the Northern Emirates.
“The ministry prepared a field study in 2008 to assess the waste management services at the state level, in wake of the constant increase in the quantities of waste. The survey showed disparity in waste management services across the country and poor infrastructures in the Northern Emirates,” he pointed out.

“If the process of waste disposal in the Emirates is not controlled effectively on a sustainable ground, it will pose large threats to public health, the environment and the biodiversity of the country. Proper planning to create an integrated system for sustainable waste management would only reduce the harmful impacts of waste,” elaborated the minister.

Trucks require permit to enter waste disposal sites in Dubai

By PMA RASHEED

20 Jan 2011, The Gulf Today

Solid waste transporting trucks should obtain a special permit to enter disposal sites in Dubai, starting from the beginning of February, announced civic authorities.

The waste management department at Dubai Municipality (DM) has started issuing special permits for the entry of such vehicles to the disposal sites in the emirate.

AbdulMajeed Saifaie, director of the department, said that the regulations aimed at ensuring a clean and sustainable environment in the city through implementing integrated waste management especially with issues of solid waste disposal.

"All vehicles carrying construction and demolition waste materials should proceed to the municipal waste disposal site in Al Bayada," he added.

Saifaie confirmed, "Any vehicle that has not obtained the permit from the Municipality waste management department for transporting general waste and does not carry the sticker will not be allowed to enter the landfill in the emirate of Dubai, starting from Feb.1."

Rashed Karkain, head of Technical Support and Studies Section at the Department, elaborated, "The new permitting system will ensure the usability of proper vehicles for safe transportation of waste, in addition to enabling the Municipality for a more effective and efficient operation of landfills."

"Comprehensive statistics on the quantity and types of solid waste production in the Emirate also can be drafted through the permitting system," he added.

According to Karkain, the system will help to properly and strategically plan any future sustainable and innovative waste management system that Dubai may require.

"Sustainable waste management practices such as reducing waste and encouraging recycling programmes will preserve the environment and ensure public health safety," he noted.

"It aims to cover establishments operating in the field of collection, transport and trade of waste materials and controlling practices and activities not licenced by the Municipality, and will focus on stopping environmental and health abuses and violations such as unsafe waste disposal," he added.

"The regulation is based on local Order No. 7 for the year 2002 on waste disposal sites and the Local Order 11 of 2003 and the Technical Guidance 1 issued by the Technical Support and Studies Section of Waste Management Department and other regulatory procedures for the sustainable management of waste in the emirate," Karkain explained.