WASCO launches phase two of Al Ahsa waste sorting facility

Waste Collection and Recycling Co. (WASCO), a wholly owned subsidiary of Middle East Paper Co. (MEPCO), has announced the launch of phase two of its waste sorting facility in Al Ahsa, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The phase two, which was planned to be launched five years after the phase one, has been fully approved to supply the increasing demand for recycled materials in the Kingdom, the company said.

WASCO opened the first phase in October, with a sorting capacity of around 750 tons of waste per day.

In the second phase, the company said it will invest in optical sorting, an automated process of sorting solid products using near infra-red (NIR), which will significantly improve Al Ahsa waste sorting facility's recycling yield and overall productivity.

Najib Fakih, president, WASCO, said that innovations deployed in Al Ahsa phase two will ensure that the company maintains its position as the largest waste collection and sorting company in the Middle East and Africa, as it continues to expand regionally. 

WASCO collects over 40 percent of the Kingdom’s waste paper. Its current collection capability is 500,000 tons per year, the statement said.