As part of its efforts to support Abu Dhabi’s mandate of diverting 75% of waste from landfills, Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) has opened a new facility to recycle construction and demolition waste in Ghayathi, Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
Located near the Ruwais oil fields and the UAE-Saudi Arabia border, the new facility will help ease the pressure on Al Dhafra landfill, which is anticipated to receive incoming construction and demolition waste in the range of 60,000 to 70,000 tons per month with an average daily inflow of 1,500 to 2,000 tons.
With a minimum production capacity of 31,000 tons per month and 150 to 200 tons per hour, the new facility recycles construction and demolition waste and provides recycled aggregate for the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects.
In addition, a mobile crusher has been set up at the facility to accommodate the existing stockpiles as well as the incoming waste intended for recycling.
Dr Salem Al Kaabi, acting general manager of Tadweer, said: “The opening of the Ghayathi recycling facility is aligned with our strategic plan to implement a world class waste management system in Abu Dhabi and position the UAE at the forefront of innovative recycling. At Tadweer, we continue to develop practical solutions to enhance the effectiveness of construction and demolition waste management. This helps us preserve our environment and reduce the pollution caused by construction activities, while creating new investment opportunities in integrated waste management.”
He added: “Given the construction boom witnessed by Abu Dhabi over the past several years, it is important to continue our efforts to divert waste from landfills and encourage recycling. This becomes even more imperative with construction and demolition waste accounting for a large proportion of solid waste in the emirate. In addition to complying with the latest global practices in waste treatment, the new facility is fitted with state-of-the-art systems and technologies that allow Tadweer to recycle larger volumes of construction and demolition waste in future.”
The new facility seeks to support the Abu Dhabi Executive Council’s resolution of utilising a minimum quantity of 40% recycled material, if available, in road and construction projects. Recycling of construction and demolition waste also helps conserve natural resources through reduced reliance on virgin aggregate, which in turn cuts transportation cost and avoids CO2 emissions.