The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pursues Waste Management Solutions
REG
26/04/2024
336 words - 2 min read
This article delves into the pressing issue of waste management in Saudi Arabia, where rapid urbanization and widespread wastefulness have led to increasing volumes of waste.
The government's proactive stance in seeking solutions presents opportunities for Swiss businesses. The article discusses ambitious goals to tackle waste, including investments in clean technologies and innovative waste treatment solutions.
It highlights emerging efforts in recycling and composting and the establishment of the Saudi Recycling Company to promote waste recycling projects.
Overall, the article underscores the significant opportunities and challenges in addressing waste management in the Kingdom.
Waste management, particularly the economic and ecological aspects, is making headlines in Saudi Arabia as the volumes of waste continue to increase, driven by rampant urbanization and widespread wastefulness, posing a serious and persistent societal issue. In response, the Saudi government is actively seeking solutions, presenting Swiss companies with business opportunities.
The government's efforts to tackle the waste problem With realistic yet ambitious goals aimed at finding alternatives to open-air landfills, the government is intensifying waste management efforts, both in the public and private sectors. Governments worldwide are striving to reduce waste, leading to a surge in new regulations, initiatives, and innovative solutions.
Innovative solutions to address the waste issue While some proposed measures focus on public education or household recycling, many involve investments in clean technologies and innovative green waste treatment solutions. Saudi Arabia is the largest waste producer in the region, generating 15 million tons annually, a figure expected to double within fifteen years. Most of the waste produced is food and organic, followed by paper and plastics. Municipal solid waste is collected in individual or community containers and ends up in landfills.
Emerging recycling efforts While recycling, reuse, and energy recovery are still in their infancy, they are gaining momentum. Waste sorting and recycling are often carried out by a highly active informal sector, mainly manual and labor-intensive activities. Composting is also becoming more common in Saudi Arabia due to the high organic content of municipal waste (nearly 40%).
Addressing this pressing issue, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is establishing the Saudi Recycling Company (SRC), a public entity tasked with initiating and promoting household waste recycling projects in the country. Currently, Saudi Arabia recycles barely 10% of its waste; through SRC, the government aims to increase this rate to 85% as part of its 'Vision 2030' energy strategy.
The government aims to create waste-to-energy conversion capacities of 3 GW by this date to contribute to the base load and diversify its sources of supply. This initiative presents significant opportunities for Swiss cleantech companies."