Al Rostamani Group launches Emirates Recycling division

The Emirates Recycling plant, built at a cost of over AED 65 million and located in the Al Lusaily area on the Al Ain-Jebel Ali road, will have the capacity to convert the more than eight million tons of construction waste material generated in Dubai annually into usable road and construction base aggregate. The first facility of its kind in the entire Middle East, Emirates Recycling will begin recycling activities by April 15, 2007. It will operate at full capacity by September 2007.

At a press conference held today, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, said the civic body handled 10.5 million tons of C&D waste in 2006. C&D waste, he added, makes up 75 per cent of the total waste generated in Dubai every year.

"For years, we at Dubai Municipality have been trying to find a comprehensive solution that would help us not only make optimal use of what was being generated, but also to reduce the level of waste generation and accumulation, and further our goal of ensuring a sustainable future for Dubai," Lootah said. "With the Al Rostamani Group and Emirates Recycling, I am pleased to say we have found that solution."

"The Al Rostamani Group is a trusted operator in this market with a long and successful track record in different spheres of activity, and we look forward to working alongside them on this important new initiative," he added. "We at Dubai Municipality believe this is the perfect example of a civic partnership between the public and private sector with the common goal of improving the living standards and wellbeing of the community. We hope to see more such private sector participation in community protection and development."

As soon as the Emirates Recycling facility is operational, Dubai Municipality will require all construction companies operating in Dubai to send their C&D debris to Emirates Recycling. The new plant will ensure that there will be no stockpile of incoming waste material, and will also reduce reliance on freshly quarried rock material.

Marwan Al Rostamani, Chairman of the Al Rostamani Group, credited His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for planting the seeds of the new civic initiative.

"In the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, HH Sheikh Mohammed identified Dubai's environment as a priority in growth. We must ensure, he said, that Dubai's environment is safe and clean. Emirates Recycling is honoured to play a part in the making of a sustainable Dubai for the future," the chairman said.

"Our father and Group founder Abdullah Al Rostamani was driven by an unwavering desire to serve the community by contributing to its growth and development," he added. "Today the Al Rostamani Group continues that legacy with the launch of Emirates Recycling. We are confident that Emirates Recycling will contribute greatly to the betterment and development of our beloved city and country, and its people. Recycling construction waste protects our community, our people, and our city, and ensures a cleaner future for our children."

The Al Rostamani Group, he added, remains a committed citizen and partner in Dubai's development and wellbeing.

Hassan Al Rostamani, Vice Chairman of the Al Rostamani Group, said the new company marks a new way of doing business in Dubai.

"Dubai alone generates between 2,500 and 3,000 trucks worth of construction and demolition waste every day, equivalent to more than 35,000 tons of C&D debris," Hassan Al Rostamani said. "More than half of this debris can be recycled and reused in the construction and development sector itself, and that is what Emirates Recycling will strive to achieve. In essence, Emirates Recycling will use the building blocks of Dubai's past to ensure its sustainable future."

"We are here today to launch a new way of doing business - a way of business that is both environmentally and economically sustainable, that truly unites the public and private sector for the good of all," Al Rostamani added. "We look forward to replicating this business model in the other emirates and, in time, around the region."

The state-of-the-art Emirates Recycling plant will operate to international best practices and match its products to UK, US and European quality standards, said Emirates Recycling Managing Director Roberto Biasizzo. The plant is designed to receive, sort, separate, crush, sieve and otherwise process the city's concrete, asphalt and cement C&D debris and turn it into aggregate materials of three different sizes for use in road-base construction, as base material for ready-mixed concrete elements and for landfill.

"Emirates Recycling will provide developers and contractors with a readily available, high quality, low-cost and eco-friendly product," Biasizzo said. "There are no down sides to using recycled aggregate: it is as robust, safe and high-quality as current market alternatives, if not more so."

C&D recovery is considered global best practice, and is in place in nations around the world from Japan to the entire North American continent.

The Emirates Recycling plant will be established 20 metres below surface level in order to ensure minimal noise and dust pollution, and a pleasing external aesthetic, Biasizzo added. In addition to top-of-the-line crushers, power screeners and other technology from leading international manufacturers, the plant will also be equipped with external dust suppression units and mobile units in addition to the stationary plant.

Emirates Recycling, a joint venture between the Al Rostamani Group and the Italian General Work infrastructure development company, is a Build Operate Own and Transfer (BOOT) project in cooperation with Dubai Municipality.

The plant will be set up in two phases, with Phase One including land preparation, development of office, administration and labour blocks, and the procurement of mobile units for operations to begin in April. The second phase involves equipment procurement, mobilisation and assembly of the main plant. Both phases are being carried out in tandem.