Saudi Arabia launches waste recycling project in Riyadh

The National Waste Management Center, Riyadh Municipality and Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, on Sunday signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU), to start integrated waste management and waste recycling activities in Riyadh.

The three parties will jointly work on executing an overall strategy in order to achieve a set of strategic objectives for recycling for Riyadh by 2035, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said in a statement.

The goals include recycling of 81 percent of the solid waste at 3.4 million tons per annum, recycling 47 percent of construction waste at around 5 million tons per annum and the removal and recycling of 20 million tons of construction and demolition waste lying in vacant plots and roadsides.

As part of the plan, SIRC will build recycling facilities to treat all types of waste.  The first initiative includes the recycling of construction waste into building materials for road construction and housing projects followed by the construction of a sorting facility for municipal waste. 

“The MoU intends to activate the investment pathway in the waste and waste management sector through an alliance with companies specialized in the field of waste management and treatment,” said Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and chairman of the board of directors of the National Waste Management Center.

Tariq bin Abdul Aziz Al-Faris, Mayor of Riyadh region, said that the MoU strengthens the city’s continuous efforts to improve the waste management sector and upgrade the services provided to Riyadh residents in accordance with the best international standards.

Jeroen Vincent, chief executive officer of SIRC, said the initiative will contribute to a cleaner city and unlock a large volume of materials for the paper, plastic and metals industry.