Oman’s biggest e-waste recycling project launches in Salalah

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MUSCAT: Value creation from electronic waste recycling has commenced in earnest in the Sultanate of Oman with the launch of the country’s largest processing plant at Raysut Industrial City in Dhofar Governorate.

Evergreen Gulf Recycling Hub (EGRH), with a processing capacity of 20,000 tonnes per annum, has been established on a 10,500 sq metre site. Supported by Canada-based environmental services specialist Sparta Group, the facility is billed as one of the most modern in the Gulf region and suitably equipped to recover optimal recyclable value from all kinds of electronic waste.

“We are now fully functional,” said Shaikh Salim Ahmed Ali Shore Qatan, Chairman. “The Evergreen Gulf Recycling Hub has put in place systems for the collection of e-waste from designated areas around the country, which is then transported to Salalah for processing and recycling. Companies and individuals can also reach out to us via our mobile app (Evergreen Recycling Hub) for the collection of their e-waste.”

Last month, EGRH signed an agreement with the Port of Duqm Company for the collection of their e-waste from the latter’s Muscat and Duqm offices. In opting for EGRH to handle its e-waste, the port cited the recycling hub’s AI-enabled technologies that would help with the segregation of the waste at a molecular level. In addition, EGRH is making available facilitate for onsite shredding of hard drives to ensure that any data remaining on the devices is permanently destroyed.

“Our mobile shredder, which is available around-the-clock, travels the nation to safely destroy confidential hard drive data at customers' locations,” said the Chairman. “Our E2MS management system generates Certificates of Destruction, Certificates of Recycling, etc. for the relevant process and produces Inventory Reports of all e-waste received at our site after processing. These reports are sent to the customers as proof that their e-waste has been disposed of to an authorized recycler.”

Significantly, the Salalah hub has been equipped to process and recycle a wide array of electrical and electronic waste. The list includes computers, monitors, printers and other office equipment, microwave ovens, television and music systems, mobile phones, fluorescent bulbs, air-conditioners, cables, wires and motors, among other items.Recovered after processing are recyclable materials such as ferrous metals, aluminium, plastic and printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Sparta Group’s role as Technical Partners ensures that the hub’s recycling standards are consistently superior. “Sparta has provided us with innovative equipment, methodologies, and internal software systems that are run under rigorous guidelines to guarantee client privacy and effectiveness throughout the waste processing process,” said Shaikh Salim.

Barring some volumes being shipped out of the country for recycling, the vast bulk of e-waste generated in Oman has ended up in landfills – a trend that the Salalah hub is now determined to address.