Achieving the UAE’s circular economy ambitions will depend heavily on improving organic waste management systems, according to experts speaking at a high-level panel hosted by the American University of Sharjah and organized by Emirates Biotech.

The discussion brought together officials from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, waste management operators, and academics to examine how the country can build an integrated organic waste management system aligned with the UAE Green Agenda 2030 and the Circular Economy Policy 2021–2031.

Participants noted that organic waste currently accounts for nearly 40% of municipal waste generated in the UAE, highlighting the environmental risks associated with landfill disposal. They warned that decomposing organic waste in landfills releases methane, which has a far greater short-term warming impact than carbon dioxide.

The panel discussions highlighted the need for stronger waste processing infrastructure and the wider adoption of compostable materials, alongside mandatory source segregation to improve recycling and waste diversion rates.

Speakers also called for stronger regulatory frameworks and economic incentives to encourage businesses and municipalities to redirect organic waste away from landfills and toward more sustainable processing systems.