Underlining its commitment to promoting sustainability and recycling, Imdaad, a Dubai-based group of companies that provides integrated, sustainable facilities management services that enhance operational efficiencies of physical assets, marked the official launch of FARZ, a state-of-the-art material recovery facility (MRF) situated in the National Industries Park in Jebel Ali. His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE, was the chief guest at the event.

One of the largest fully-automated MRFs in the region, FARZ is also the most advanced facility of its kind in the UAE. It was established in line with the company’s commitment to contributing to the goals of the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021, which envisages diverting 75 percent of all municipal solid waste away from landfills by 2021.

Spanning an area of 45,322sq m, the MRF has the capacity to process 1,200 tonnes of municipal as well as commercial and industrial (C&I) waste per day – equivalent to nearly 13 percent of total waste generated daily in Dubai, with a recovery rate of 25-30 percent of waste. It incorporates cutting-edge magnetic, optical, and ballistic separators and smart recovery technologies to segregate and reclaim valuables, such as ferrous and non-ferrous metals, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), PE bags, Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC), and wood, from the C&I and source-segregated mixed waste that Imdaad collects daily from different parts of Dubai.

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE, said, “The National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021 underscores the importance of devising innovative solutions to divert 75 percent of municipal solid waste away from landfills. In this context, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, in partnership with public and private sector  stakeholders, endeavors to embrace the circular economy and turn waste from a burden to a source of income in the UAE.” 

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi commended the use of smart tech at the FARZ recovery facility and stressed that technological advancements are integral to driving sustainable waste management.

For his part, Hamdan Al-Shaer, Chairman, FARZ, stated, “With rapid industrial development and subsequent growth in urban population, cities around the world are facing tremendous challenges in dealing with waste. With integrated smart technology and developed after carrying out several waste characterization studies, FARZ will revitalize the UAE’s waste minimization efforts. Our vision is to equip FARZ to close the recycling loop within the UAE and therefore, we are excited about what the future holds for the facility.

Commenting on the launch, Jamal Abdulla Lootah, Group CEO, Imdaad, said, “The official launch of FARZ represents a momentous milestone in Imdaad’s growth journey and further consolidates our preeminent position in the UAE’s facilities management sector. As an innovative and effective solution for recycling waste and helping reduce the amount of refuse that ends up in landfills, the facility forms a significant part of our initiatives to promote sustainability and environmental protection. We look forward to furthering our contributions to the country’s efforts to building clean, healthy and eco-friendly communities that will deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits to both residents and visitors.”

In addition to recycling waste, FARZ will help reduce emissions caused by trucks that collect and carry waste to landfill. Imdaad has a fleet of more than 100 vehicles that collect waste from new Dubai premises and travel 60 km daily on average to the landfill located at the Dubai-Sharjah border for disposal. With the new plant, all these vehicles will be removed from Dubai's roads and highways, leading to a significant reduction in emissions and traffic as well.