Region's largest e-waste recycling plant to open in Dubai this year

Stuart Fleming and Abdulla Belhoul say the Dh120-million plant will recycle the entire range of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment.

Enviroserve, a company which provides nice waste and environmental solutions, has signed an agreement with Dubai Wholesale City for the construction of a 228,000 sq. ft. electronics and specialised waste recycling plant at Dubai Industrial Park.
Backed by the Swiss Government Export Finance Agency, the Dh120-million project represents one of the largest foreign direct investments in the field of environmental management in the UAE. The facility will serve as the region's largest centre of expertise for electronic waste management in the Middle East.
The first-of-its-kind plant will recycle the entire range of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment ranging from consumer and industrial to commercial and military appliances, such as air conditioners, batteries, IT equipment, household appliances, military avionics and mobile phones. In addition, it will recycle specialised waste material, such as aerosol cans and bulbs, to become the only dedicated refrigerant reclaim facility in the UAE.
Expected to commence operations by end-2017, Phase 1 of the plant will comprise state-of-the-art equipment to process 39,000 tonnes of electronic waste annually.
"At Dubai Industrial Park, we strongly support environment-friendly solutions as part of our strategic commitment to promoting sustainable manufacturing and socially responsible practices. With a growing number of business partners setting up operations in our integrated mega hub, this innovative recycling facility will add significant value to advancing sustainable and organic development in our community," said Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Wholesale City. "Our partnership with Enviroserve UAE demonstrates how our world-class infrastructure and allied services help our clients seamlessly adapt to new market conditions and opportunities. We are confident the project will spearhead the development of a sustainable electronic waste management market in the region."
Stuart Fleming, Group CEO of Enviroserve UAE, said that the "new integrated recycling plant will be a true game-changer in electronic and specialised waste recycling for Dubai and the wider Middle East region."
"Utilising best-in-class technology, the iconic facility will elevate the sustainability movement in the region," he added.
Enviroserve's  decision to set up a state-of-the-art recycling facility at Dubai Wholesale City comes at a time when a UN-sponsored research project has indicated that a UAE resident produces an average 17.2kg of e-waste each year. Amounting to nearly 600,000 tonnes in 2015, e-waste generation in the GCC region is expected to reach 900,000 tonnes by 2020.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com