The German business delegation is carrying out a series of roundtables regarding the development of a circular economy in Saudi Arabia. The first two roundtables took place in Jeddah on September 14th, 2023 with the focus on "Food Waste" and in Riyadh on September 17th, 2023 with focus on "Waste management". Next roundtable: Industrial Waste | Dammam | October 1st, 2023
Saudi Arabia is on a visionary path to establish a Net-Zero waste management system by 2035, led by the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). This ambitious project includes recycling wastewater, construction waste, and municipal solid waste, along with exploring waste-to-energy (WtE) solutions to replace 50% of energy demand with renewables by 2030, targeting 58.7 gigawatts in renewable capacity.
Currently, 94% of waste in Saudi Arabia ends up in landfills, but by 2035, the aim is to recycle or convert 94% of waste into energy. This transition includes recycling 81% of municipal waste, 60% of construction waste, and 85% of industrial waste, primarily driven by SIRC. The country plans to build 1,329 new recycling and waste processing plants by 2035, requiring an estimated $22 billion in investment.
To achieve these goals, Saudi Arabia actively seeks private investors through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). Notably, the Al-Dagham Waste Treatment Facility, a $75 million project by SIRC, will include critical waste management infrastructure.
The first session of roundtables on the circular economy took place in Jeddah, focusing on current sector trends with an emphasis on food waste. Experts from Germany shared insights on waste management strategies, highlighting the importance of diverting waste from landfills.
In Riyadh, the second roundtable session delved into current trends in waste management, featuring discussions on future opportunities. German experts provided invaluable perspectives on waste management, including regulatory frameworks and waste diversion from landfills.
These roundtables are part of the Exportinitiative Umwelt by the German Ministry for Environment, contributing to Saudi Arabia's vision for sustainable practices.
The series will conclude with a roundtable on industrial waste management in Dammam on October 1st. Join us in our collective efforts to build a sustainable tomorrow.
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