By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : December 26, 2023 6:05 pm
The aim is to implement optimal solutions across the entire value chain, including the collection, sorting, and recycling of plastic waste
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) at COP28 in Dubai.
This milestone is complemented by the launch of the Alliance’s first official project partnership in the region with Yalla Return, a technology-powered recycling initiative, alongside the acceleration of eight regional startups via the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform.
On 2 December 2023, SIRC and the Alliance signed an MoU in a strategic alignment with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) vision to achieve a 94 percent landfill diversion by 2035 and to establish a robust Saudi circular economy. The focus of this collaboration is to explore effective waste management solutions in KSA, particularly targeting the challenges posed by municipal solid waste (MSW) and specifically plastics. The aim is to implement optimal solutions across the entire value chain, including the collection, sorting, and recycling of plastic waste.
Attended by Ziyad Al Shiha, CEO of SIRC, and Justin Wood, VP and Head of EMEA at the Alliance, the official signing and announcement of the MoU took place during COP28 in Dubai. Under this partnership, SIRC will serve as the local partner, utilising its extensive knowledge of the local landscape and capabilities to spearhead initiatives within Saudi Arabia. As the project enabler, the Alliance will provide technical counsel and share key learnings from its portfolio of more than 50 projects across multiple countries worldwide.
“We are excited to collaborate with SIRC on waste management solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the Alliance, we believe in the essential role of partnerships in tackling global environmental advancements. By leveraging our global expertise and network, we aim to support Saudi Arabia, through SIRC, to transform its approach to plastic waste, driving innovation and sustainability,” said Jacob Duer, President and CEO at the Alliance.
Justin Wood added: “The level of ambition to improve waste management in the countries of the GCC is impressive and creates a strong context for the Alliance to contribute its resources and expertise in the pursuit of a circular economy for plastic.”
In addition to the partnership with SIRC, the Alliance is working to increase recycling rates in the Middle East through a collaboration with its first project partner in the GCC – Yalla Return – a product of Nadeera Technologies. Yalla Return’s solution combines behaviour change, digital engagement, smart waste infrastructure, and community-focused interventions to engage and reward consumers with the intent to increase and improve recycling rates.