The piles of electronic wastes across the world have gone to all-time high records. What we need is to have more e-waste recycling plants so the discarded electronics do not end up in landfills and rot until eternity.
United Arab Emirates found the need to build one at the Dubai Industrial Park, after a UN-sponsored research project stated that the average UAE resident produces 17.2 kg of e-waste annually.
The project will be put up thanks to the partnership between Enviroserve UAE, which is a global leader in the delivery of niche waste and environmental solutions, and the Dubai Wholesale City. It will be a 228,000 square-foot plant that will recycle electronics and specialized wastes.
Operations is expected to start by the end of 2017, with phase one comprising high-tech equipment to process 39,000 tonnes of electronic waste annually.
Source: Newsweek
Backed by the Swiss Government Export Finance Agency, the project costs about $33 million in total. It represents one of the largest foreign direct investments in the field of environmental management in the UAE.
According to Abdulla Belhoul, the chief executive of Dubai Wholesale City, the facility will serve as the region’s largest center of expertise for electronic waste management in the Middle East.
Also the world’s largest e-waste recycling plant, it is set to recycle all sorts of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment, ranging from consumer and industrial to commercial and military appliances. That includes air-conditioners, batteries, IT equipment, household appliances, military avionics and mobile phones.
Not only that, the recycling plant will also include in the process specialized waste material like aerosol cans and light bulbs.
“At Dubai Industrial Park, we strongly support environment-friendly solutions as part of our strategic commitment to promoting sustainable manufacturing and socially responsible practices,” Belhoul noted.
That’s because the plant will be completely solar-powered with photovoltaic panels installed throughout the building.
Meanwhile, Stuart Fleming, Group CEO of Enviroserve UAE, is happy to be part of such a project. “Our 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 said.
Source: Khaleej Times
