Recycling, for the most part, has remained a purely private sector initiative within the Middle East, driven solely by economic considerations. Aside from a few small-scale pilot projects and the informal efforts of those foraging for cans and bottles, no real attempt has been made within the region to implement programs to control waste generation, manage waste disposal, or implement recycling, until now. GCC countries, with 120 million tons of waste generated per year currently ranking them in the Top 10 of world waste producers, have only recently started responding to their responsibilities and the growing need for waste management. For a country that has historically maintained an apathetic attitude toward the preservation of nature, the UAE finally appears ready to tackle the environmentally destructive toll that rapid economic expansion has taken. The World Bank estimates the UAE will invest some $46 billion over the next decade in environmental and
