ABU DHABI // Plastic waste and used car tyres go in one end, tiny pellets the size of a lentil come out the other: that is recycling in action at two new plants officially launched yesterday in Al Ain.
With a stockpile of more than 100,000 tyres there is no shortage of rubber for processing - but residents are being urged to recycle more plastic.
The new Dh70 million plastics recycling plant is already near its daily capacity of 50 tonnes after three weeks' work, but operators want more.
"We have space for another two production lines," said Reinhard Goeschl, general manager of Emirates Environmental Technology, which built it.
"This would increase the capacity to 100 tonnes," he said.
Increasing production will be possible only if more plastic is collected in recycling schemes in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi city. At an average of 550kg per person, the emirate of Abu Dhabi is among the world's largest waste producers, and the Government has vowed to deal with the problem by encouraging recycling.
For now, the plant works with plastic extracted from general household waste at the nearby sorting station, which takes in about 1,200 tonnes of mixed solid waste a day. Of that, 55 per cent is organic material that is extracted and turned into compost. Another 15 per cent is paper, glass, metal and plastic that can be recycled.
In the past, the recyclable materials were separated and sold to reprocessing companies. With the opening of the new plant, some of the reprocessing is now done in Al Ain, further closing the recycling loop.
Every day the new plant re-processes about 25 tonnes of high-density polyethylene, which is used to make shampoo containers and milk and juice bottles. The plant also handles up to 20 tonnes a day of low-density polyethylene film, used for shopping bags and packaging.
Once a week, the plant processes polypropylene, which is used for yoghurt containers.
The plastics are shredded to flakes as small as 10 millimetres. The flakes are cleaned of metal and other impurities, washed, then melted in an an extruder that produces pellets the size of lentils. The pellets are sold to companies that manufacture products including hard pipes, other construction materials and plastic sheets.
The new tyre recycling plant, which has been operating for two weeks, was built at a cost of Dh40 million by Omnix International, an Abu-Dhabi company. It shreds old tyres to pieces as small as a millimetre, and separates the synthetic rubber from the metals and textiles in the tyres. The fine rubber dust is sold to re-processing companies that manufacture sports mats, flooring, soft pipes and other products.
"We can recycle all the tyres that are in the landfill," said Zaid Bdour, plant manager at Gulf Rubber Factory, which was created to run the project. Al Ain's stockpile of old vehicle tyres is well over 100,000, he said.
The company has already received its first order - from a company in Dubai that makes artificial tracks for horse racing.
"In the first three months of next year, we will open stage two of our plant, which will manufacture end products with the recycled rubber," said Mr Bdour.
The two new plants were built on behalf of the Centre of Waste Management - Abu Dhabi. The two private companies will operate them for 10 years before handing ownership to the Government.
They will be followed by other projects designed to address Abu Dhabi's waste problem, said Hamad Al Ameri, the centre's general manager.
"We have two more tyre recycling plants coming up soon and many other projects," he said.
The new plants in Abu Dhabi and the Western Region are at the commissioning stage and will be launched shortly.
vtodorova@thenational.ae
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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Tips%20for%20travelling%20while%20needing%20dialysis
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Read more from Johann Chacko
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Results
ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):
First round
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Bob%20Marley%3A%20One%20Love
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Stamp%20duty%20timeline
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDecember%202014%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%20Former%20UK%20chancellor%20of%20the%20Exchequer%20George%20Osborne%20reforms%20stamp%20duty%20land%20tax%20(SDLT)%2C%20replacing%20the%20slab%20system%20with%20a%20blended%20rate%20scheme%2C%20with%20the%20top%20rate%20increasing%20to%2012%20per%20cent%20from%2010%20per%20cent%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EUp%20to%20%C2%A3125%2C000%20%E2%80%93%200%25%3B%20%C2%A3125%2C000%20to%20%C2%A3250%2C000%20%E2%80%93%202%25%3B%20%C2%A3250%2C000%20to%20%C2%A3925%2C000%20%E2%80%93%205%25%3B%20%C2%A3925%2C000%20to%20%C2%A31.5m%3A%2010%25%3B%20More%20than%20%C2%A31.5m%20%E2%80%93%2012%25%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EApril%202016%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20New%203%25%20surcharge%20applied%20to%20any%20buy-to-let%20properties%20or%20additional%20homes%20purchased.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJuly%202020%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chancellor%20Rishi%20Sunak%20unveils%20SDLT%20holiday%2C%20with%20no%20tax%20to%20pay%20on%20the%20first%20%C2%A3500%2C000%2C%20with%20buyers%20saving%20up%20to%20%C2%A315%2C000.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMarch%202021%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mr%20Sunak%20extends%20the%20SDLT%20holiday%20at%20his%20March%203%20budget%20until%20the%20end%20of%20June.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EApril%202021%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%25%20SDLT%20surcharge%20added%20to%20property%20transactions%20made%20by%20overseas%20buyers.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJune%202021%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SDLT%20holiday%20on%20transactions%20up%20to%20%C2%A3500%2C000%20expires%20on%20June%2030.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJuly%202021%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tax%20break%20on%20transactions%20between%20%C2%A3125%2C000%20to%20%C2%A3250%2C000%20starts%20on%20July%201%20and%20runs%20until%20September%2030.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
