Dubai plans to eliminate all landfills by 2027

November 18, 2025

Dubai has announced an ambitious plan to shut down all landfill sites by the end of 2027, positioning the emirate among the first in the region to completely phase out traditional waste dumps, according to Emarat Al Youm.

Dubai Municipality revealed that five landfill locations have already been decommissioned. Efforts are actively underway to close the final two sites—Al Qusais and Bayada—as the city accelerates its shift toward a fully integrated recycling and waste-to-energy ecosystem.

Waste-to-Eenergy centre driving Dubai’s transformation

Central to Dubai’s waste management overhaul is the Dubai Waste-to-Energy Centre, which began operations last year and now ranks among the world’s largest facilities of its kind. The plant processes roughly 6,000 tonnes of municipal waste each day, accounting for nearly half of Dubai’s daily 13,000-tonne waste generation.

Using advanced thermal conversion technology, the centre transforms waste into steam that powers turbines, producing 200 megawatt-hours of electricity daily—enough to supply 350,000 homes in partnership with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

A new global standard for circular waste management

Adel Al Marzouqi, CEO of the Waste and Sewerage Agency at Dubai Municipality, called the facility a “global benchmark” for modern waste management. He highlighted its high degree of automation, massive processing capacity, and environmentally efficient systems that rely on treated water for power generation. The centre currently handles almost 50% of Dubai’s solid waste, converting it into clean, renewable energy.

Final landfills set for closure

Dubai has already decommissioned landfills in Warsan, Jebel Ali, and Hatta. Once Al Qusais and Bayada are closed, the emirate will no longer depend on conventional landfill disposal. New recycling hubs and additional waste-to-energy plants will fully support the city’s sustainable waste strategy. Al Marzouqi emphasized that Dubai has turned a global waste challenge into a success story through cutting-edge thermal treatment technologies capable of processing thousands of tonnes daily.

Turning waste byproducts into building materials

Dubai’s waste strategy also prioritizes repurposing byproducts from the incineration process. Bottom ash—the residue left after waste combustion—is now being reused through agreements with DP World and the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) for temporary road construction. Ongoing studies aim to incorporate this ash into interlock and paving materials, potentially saving millions of dirhams annually by reducing reliance on newly mined raw materials.

A fully circular and sustainable waste system

Dubai’s circular-waste framework ensures that household waste ultimately returns to communities in the form of clean energy powering those same homes. This closed-loop system reflects the emirate’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and resource efficiency. As it expands its waste-to-energy initiatives, Dubai is cementing its role as a regional pioneer in clean energy and next-generation waste management.