UAE plans first food-grade plastic recycling plant

UAE plans first food-grade plastic recycling plant

UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) on January 17 oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which will lay the groundwork for new plastic recycling facility in the UAE.

The MoU was signed between Veolia Middle East subsidiary Repeet, environmental management group Bee’ah, and F&B conglomerate Agthia Group.

The partnership comes in line with MoIAT’s recent ministerial decree regulating the manufacturing and trade of recycled plastic water bottles and this opportunity is in-line with the UAE’s Net Zero Carbon target “2050” and Make It In The Emirates Initiative.

Under the plans, a 12,000 tonnes per annum polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling plant has been earmarked for Abu Dhabi. In line with the UAE’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution and boost trade through the export of recycled materials, the plant will recycle PET, a plastic material that is used in food packaging, such as plastic water bottles. The 40,000 sq m facility in Abu Dhabi could create 100 jobs and avoid the emission of 18,000 metric tonnes of CO2 annually at full operating capacity.

In the frame of the project under study, Repeet would operate the recycling plant, while BEEAH Group would supply a seven-year feedstock