The total waste generated in the GCC is expected to increase from 94 million tonnes in 2015 to 120 million tonnes per annum by 2020, said a recent study.

The growing population and industrialisation are viewed as the reason for the increased waste generation. The rise in municipal waste alone is expected to push the market potential up by 1.5 to 2 times in the next five years, said the study by Frost and Sullivan.

Recent media reports also suggest that cities in the UAE are at the forefront in adopting latest solutions in the sector. Also, ‘Waste-to-Value’ methods such as recycling and waste-to-energy are coming into the picture with Dubai Municipality building a Dh2-billion facility to convert solid waste into energy in Warsan district.

Abu Dhabi has also recently announced plans to install high-tech smart bins and waste collection systems.

With governments promoting Public-Private Partnerships in the waste management sector, private companies operating in waste collection, transportation, treatment, and technology will have a huge advantage to grow, said the report.

The report comes ahead of the Middle East Cleaning Technology Week (MECTW), the region’s largest event that brings together cleaning service providers, equipment, and chemicals suppliers to discuss trends and showcase green cleaning products and innovations.

The event will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 13 to 15.

The event will feature new pavilions dedicated to waste management, sewerage, and sanitation, and specialised cleaning for the year 2016.  MECTW features three platforms such as Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo, Gulf Car Wash and Car Care Expo as well as the Clean Middle East Pulire.

“Municipalities in the region are now tapping into services offered by private companies to help manage city waste as they are highly capable of providing integrated services with efficient collection and management of landfills. The waste management sector has now evolved to an attractive investment area for companies, which can be attributed to wide industrialisation and an increasing population in the cities. With ever increasing waste across the region, a sustainable waste management system, provided by companies like us, ensures sustainable quality as far as waste management is concerned. The public-private partnership in waste management in the region is sure to support the creation of more value in the coming years,” said Jamal Abdullah Lootah, CEO of Imdaad.

Sultan Jrab, projects director, Lavajet Group, is of the opinion that a major portion of the waste generated in the UAE contained recycled material.

“It is not just collecting waste, but about eco-friendly treatment too. Though landfill is still considered cost-effective in the country, we are seeing a lot of efforts from public and private sector to keep waste away from landfills. Segregation of waste right from bins until it reaches treatment plants has resulted in increased demand for new solutions and technologies and timely services. This coupled with the expected development and population growth in the region will exponentially fuel the waste management industry.”

Jayaraman Nair, chairman, VIS Exhibitions and Conferences – organiser of MECTW, said: “Most of the waste in the GCC has been from construction and municipal sectors till recently, but a rapid increase in electronic, hazardous and bio-medical waste is being observed, which would require newer and eco-friendlier ways of management. With the new Waste Management Pavilion at MECTW, we aim to bring together product and service providers under one roof to grasp the opportunities created by these developments.” – TradeArabia News Service