Can Collection Drive

16,000 kg of empty cans collected in UAE

By Indo Asian News Service 

From Dubai, (IANS) In a countrywide drive by an environmental group against non-biodegradable waste, over a million empty cans of soft drinks weighing 16,150 kg have been collected in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Can Collection Drive was organised by the Emirates Environmental group (EEG), Gulf News reported.

A 13-year-old Indian-origin student Vimal Pillai, a resident of Dubai, told Gulf News: 'We are mainly doing this because we know the effects of global warming on the environment. Because cans are non-biodegradable and they break down very slowly, they should be recycled and made into new cans.'

Vimal came with his family to give cans collected by them for six months, weighing 8 kg. His younger sister, Namitha, helped collect the cans.

'When we go to parties, we tell our friends, 'After you drink all these soft drinks you can collect the cans and put them in a bag. Then after the party, we will take them home with us',' said the nine-year-old Namitha.

The Pillai family was just one of many groups that volunteered to collect empty cans.

The campaign saw the participation of 300 government agencies, hotels, schools, companies and families from all over the UAE. In Abu Dhabi, a total of 365 kg of cans were donated by 37 groups.