KSA unveils plan to develop waste sector; add $32bn to GDP
RIYADH, January 14, 2024
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has unveiled a major plan to develop the kingdom's waste sector through a key recycling initiative.
Under this, the ministry aims to take its recycling target to hit 95% and add approximately SAR120 billion ($32 billion) to the GDP.
The ministry aims to recycle up to 100 million tonnes annually to achieve sustainability, in addition to creating job opportunities for more than 100,000 Saudi men and women, reported SPA, citing the ministry's 2023 annual report highlighting the Saudi environmental system's dedication to sustainable development goals.
All of these goals are in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, it stated.
The report outlines comprehensive plans and strategies, notably the National Environment Strategy. This strategy incorporates a transparent institutional framework with 65 initiatives, backed by a SAR55 billion investment in the sector.
According to the report, the current recycling rate in the kingdom's waste management sector ranges from 3% to 4%, the lowest globally.
The ministry's objective is to boost this rate to 95%, recognizing the existence of hazardous industrial waste, including medical waste. The disposal of such waste is guided by scientific principles to safeguard citizens and address potential risks that might not be immediately evident, it added.
