Gulf states are working towards a zero landfill target for reducing plastics wastage by 2040, to match European timelines, according to the head of a regional petrochemicals association.
"I think that by 2040, we can reach something similar to Europe, but that would require concerted, collective effort from many players. We all should buy in to this, its optimistic target, I believe it's doable," said Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, secretary general of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) told The National in Dubai.
The mainly oil producing countries of the Middle East, which account for 35 per cent of world output, have diversified into multibillion dollar petchems ventures to boost revenue streams. The Gulf petchems industry today is valued at $25bn and accounts for 12 per cent of global market share. While about 3.5 to 4 million of the output, which GPCA last year pegged at 30 million tonnes consumed domestically, much of the production — about 80 to 85 per cent — goes to export markets, mainly in China and Asia.
Domestic demand in the region is growing on the back of rising population as well as growing use by industries such as aviation and other transport.
With this increase in consumption, the region has also begun to grapple with the problem of wastage, as only 8 per cent is currently being recycled regionally.
"The rest is ending either in landfill or incinerated, which is a big loss," Mr Al Sadoun said.
"This is a wasted opportunity for recycling, capturing the value of plastics, given that some of the plastic is 100 per cent recyclable, like [mineral water] bottles," he said.
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GPCA, which represents the downstream hydrocarbons industry in the region, is in talks with regulators in the industry to move towards a target similar to Europe.
"In other developed regions, they have set targets," Mr Al Sadoun said. "For instance, Europe by 2040 aims to have zero landfill plan but we’re not yet there. We hope that together with the regulator we can set it up for achieving such zero landfill.” he said.
Europe, which recycles 35 per cent of its plastics, is waging war its war on polymers in two phases. The European Union is working to reach its 60 per cent target for reuse and recycling of plastic packaging by 2030, with 100 per cent earmarked by 2040. European organisations from the polymers sector have also embraced the bloc’s push for waste reduction and announced voluntary commitments in January to reach 50 per cent plastics waste recycling by 2040.
In the Middle East, dumping of plastics remains a sensitive issue , with the capacity to cause social unrest, as in the case of Lebanon where a mountain of unrecycled plastic washed ashore this year added to its festering crisis over uncollected rubbish.
In the GCC, companies such as Sharjah-headquartered Bee'ah have begun recycling plastic, including car tyres, which are transformed into jogger tracks and rubber tiles.
Last October Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, also launched a recycling company, with the aim of reprocessing 85 per cent of the country’s recyclable wastes, currently being dumped in landfills.
The kingdom, which has the region's highest capacity for petrochemical production, is estimated to generate about 50 million tonnes of plastic waste a year, of which 40 per cent is produced in the eastern metros of Riyadh and Dammam and the Red Sea port city of Jeddah alone.
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
