ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 11th Nov, 2020) Alliances for Global Sustainability, AGS, an Abu Dhabi-based organisation today announced a long-term partnership with Veolia through its local subsidiary Veolia middle East, to establish the GCC’s most advanced food-grade polyethylene terephthalate, PET, recycling plant in Abu Dhabi.
The plant, which has received support from a number of Abu Dhabi and Federal stakeholders, including Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, Tadweer and KIZAD, is set to produce 14,000 tonnes per year of food-grade quality recycled raw material, rPET, using advanced sorting technologies, coupled with a high-performance washing line and a state-of-the-art extrusion process that sorts, shreds and washes the PET, before it is melted into regenerated raw material that can be used for F&B packaging.
The recycling plant will boost Abu Dhabi’s circular economy while providing innovative solutions to the global sustainability sector.
The project will fully integrate Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s ambitious waste management strategy, which aims to divert waste from landfill, enhance recycling, and promote a circular economy. To close the loop, the new recycling plant will be located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi, KIZAD.
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Founder and CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability stated, "Through the development of this innovative facility, we aim to help consolidate Abu Dhabi’s position as a leader within the sustainability sector, while also further enabling a circular economy and encouraging habitual recycling.
"The economic impact of developing and operating this facility will be realised through both job creation and further opportunities in the emirate’s waste management sector. The results of this will showcase lucrative investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi to global markets."
"Aligning with Abu Dhabi’s Environment Vision, the UAE’s Green Agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, this state-of-the-art facility will support sustainable development not only here in Abu Dhabi but throughout the UAE and GCC," she added.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports, said, " Minimising waste, protecting our environment’s essential ecosystems, and reducing our overall environmental impact are key concerns in Abu Dhabi Ports’ approach to fulfilling the goals of the sustainable development goals. The recycling plant will not only benefit Abu Dhabi’s circular, but it will also support KIZAD’s efforts to promote sustainability among their local and international customer clientele."
Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, EAD, said, "EAD will work with other government partners to ensure recovered materials are utilized locally as much as possible. Therefore, we consider this project by the Alliance For Global Sustainability as an important enabler to achieve our target. The policy also targets other single-use plastic products like bags that shall be replaced by multiple-use grocery shopping bags. Other products including cutlery, plates, cups and lids and stirrers shall be subject to levies."
For his part, Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, Director-General of Tadweer, said, "Tadweer is committed to working closely with its partners including AGS and Veolia to enhance recycling and develop innovative solutions to mitigate the harmful effects of waste on our environment."
With more than three billion soft drinks and water PET bottles consumed each year in the UAE, recycling bottles to produce food-grade quality plastic will bring a significant quantity of sustainable raw material to the regional market. Producing rPET requires 75 percent less energy compared to virgin PET and recycling just one PET bottle saves enough electricity to power a lightbulb for more than 24 hours.
