The gulf region produces around 150 million tonnes of waste annually, with only 5 per cent of it being recycled and vast quantities going to municipal dumps and landfill, say industry experts.

This is a growing problem too, since the rapid urban expansion of ME countries means that their annual waste production rates are also on the rise. For example, the UAE is expected to produce around 27 per cent more solid waste by 2017; an additional 6.6 million to 8.4 million tonnes, making 29 million tonnes in all.

Even smaller ME nations still have big waste problems, as Oman produces around 1.8 million tonnes annually, a figure that has risen by 25 per cent over the last decade due in large part to its growing population.

This waste is usually left to rot or burned in a manner that heavily contributes to air pollution. In order to address a problem that is causing such environmental damage while also eating into available land space, the respective Middle Eastern governments are set to radically change the way in which they manage waste by converting it to energy in specially designated facilities supported by cutting-edge technological innovations.

The market of waste-to-energy (WTE) is growing at an unprecedented rate, with the global industry expected to grow from $19 billion in 2012 to at least $29.2 billion by 2022.

With ME governments looking to alter their waste management approach in order to dispose of waste in a more sustainable manner while also creating green energy, the region is a prime WTE investment hotspot. – TradeArabia News Service