University students specialising in waste management recently took part in a field trip aimed at enhancing their understanding of sustainable policies and practices adopted by recycling companies, and their role in improving public health, supporting the economy, and promoting community sustainability.
The trip was organised by staff from the Arabian Gulf University’s College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences professional diploma programme in waste management.
It included visits to several key recycling companies and sites, including Crown Industries, the Mardami Askar site, the municipal and hazardous waste landfill, and the composting site in Hoorat A’ali.
The aim of the field trip was to reinforce theoretical learning through practical exposure and to familiarise students with sustainable environmental practices and waste management strategies for municipal, industrial, and hazardous waste.
Students from the programme’s fifth cohort were accompanied by the programme’s founder and co-ordinator and assistant professor of environmental engineering at the Centre for Biological and Environmental Studies in the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences, Dr Sumaya Yousif.
She noted that such initiatives create opportunities for investment and collaboration across various sectors. “Waste management remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges in urban areas, requiring sustainable approaches focused on reducing waste at the source, promoting reuse and recycling,” she said.
During the trip, students learned about safety procedures, waste treatment processes and methods for converting waste into reusable raw materials. They explored practices for recycling electronic, metallic, and plastic waste, as well as organic and agricultural waste.
In addition, students examined safe disposal methods, environmental monitoring, and landfill engineering.
The Professional Diploma in Waste Management programme, the first of its kind in the Gulf region, welcomed its fifth cohort. Since its launch, the programme has graduated 105 specialists from the public and private sectors across GCC countries have graduated, many of whom have contributed to promoting sustainable environmental practices in decision-making roles.
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