Recycling projects strengthen UAE's circular economy

Recycling and resource recovery projects are gaining momentum across the UAE, supporting the country's transition towards a circular economy by converting waste into valuable resources, reducing landfill disposal and improving resource efficiency.

Initiatives implemented or expanded in 2026 span biofuel production from used cooking oil, organic waste processing, materials recovery, food waste reduction and product reuse, reflecting efforts to maximise the economic and environmental value of waste.

ENOC Group and Dubai Municipality have launched a partnership to explore collecting used cooking oil from restaurants, businesses and households for conversion into biodiesel at ENOC's Jebel Ali facility.

Dibba Municipality is developing a system to collect approximately 195,000 litres of used cooking oil annually and convert it into an estimated 176,000 litres of biofuel. It also plans to expand grease trap installations to 503 food establishments in 2027 to prevent oils and fats from entering sewerage networks.

In organic waste management, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and Emirates Biotech have launched a two-year research project to process approximately 40 kilogrammes of waste daily through anaerobic digestion and composting while exploring the potential to produce hydrogen from biogas.

The Sharjah Agricultural and Livestock Production Establishment (Ektifa) has developed technology to convert dairy, poultry and sheep farm waste into organic fertiliser, with a processing capacity of up to 24 tonnes daily and a 14-day treatment cycle using tree waste and sawdust without chemical additives.

Meanwhile, Tadweer Group announced in October that development work on its Al Ain Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) had reached 50% completion. Once operational, the upgraded facility is expected to process 400,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste annually and divert approximately 60% of such waste from landfill.

The facility will recover recyclable materials from mixed municipal waste and convert suitable residual waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF).

In the industrial sector, KEZAD Group and BEEAH are collaborating on waste management across economic cities and free zones to improve resource recovery and reduce landfill disposal.

Textile recycling is another priority, with the Naseej initiative addressing an estimated 220,000 tonnes of textile waste generated annually in the UAE through collection, sorting, reuse and recycling.

Efforts to prevent waste also include Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi's collaboration with Polygreen's Again, Please initiative to establish a reusable foodware ecosystem on Yas Island, reducing reliance on single-use products at events and establishments.

In food recovery, the UAE Food Bank collects surplus food from donors for distribution to those in need. Its Sustainable Goodness initiative, launched in collaboration with the DP World Foundation and other partners, seeks to recover abandoned food shipments at Jebel Ali Port for beneficial use.

The National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, ne'ma, has also implemented its Valuing Our Roots campaign, which has helped rescue more than 300,000 tonnes of food and reached over 10,000 families.

Supporting these initiatives, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Tadweer Group have launched Waste-to-Value workshops to promote innovation and practical solutions for converting waste into valuable products and resources.

Together, these projects reflect the UAE's growing integration of waste prevention, recycling and resource recovery into economic activity, supporting more sustainable production and consumption.

WAM