Tadweer recycled 1.9 million tons of construction waste in Abu Dhabi last year

The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) recycled 1,915,724 tons of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste in Abu Dhabi in 2020.

That figure accounted for 80 per cent of the total C&D waste handled by its facilities, equivalent of 255 domes of the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi.

To reduce the waste resulting from construction and demolition activities across the emirate, Tadweer is implementing various programmes that aim to enhance its recycling capabilities.

The Abu Dhabi Executive Council has mandated that at least 40 per cent of recycled materials be used in road and construction projects across the emirate’s three regions.

Tadweer’s C&D recycling facilities can produce four different sizes of recycled aggregate measuring 0 mm to 37.5 mm, as well as treated sand.

These materials are used in the construction of roads and vital infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi including Etihad Rail, Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi Airports, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Museum, Saadiyat Island, Ghweifat International Highway, and ADNOC’s oil fields, among others.

Between 2016-2020, Tadweer produced 11 million tons of recycled aggravate from C&D waste, equivalent of 4,200 km linear street, which is similar to the construction of three streets stretching along the UAE’s coast.

In this same period, Tadweer’s facilities handled an average of 212,000 tons per month of demolition and construction waste, with a maximum of 334,629 tons per month, and a minimum of 147,887 tons per month.

Earlier this year, Tadweer re-opened the Ghayathi Crusher in Al Dhafra region after its refurbishment. With a daily capacity of 2,000 tons of C&D waste, the facility plays a crucial role in achieving the emirate’s environmental goals and developing integrated waste management.

“In line with Tadweer’s strategic goal of promoting integrated waste management, Tadweer has stepped up efforts to achieve the optimal utilization of waste. Through promoting efficient C&D waste recycling and treatment, we aim to promote the use of recycled aggravate in the construction of strategic projects to support the national economy and accelerate sustainable development,” said Abdulmohsin Alkatheeri, acting director of Projects and Facilities Department at Tadweer.

In September last year, Tadweer announced the opening of the second phase of the solar power plant at the Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Facility in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. Aimed at lowering the facility’s carbon footprint, the recycling unit is reportedly the first of its kind in the world to be 90 per cent solar-powered.

Read: Tadweer inaugurates second phase of solar power unit at Abu Dhabi recycling facility