It used to be said in Germany, somewhat arrogantly, that environmental protection either began or ended at Germany's borders, depending on which side of the border you looked at it from. Now a country in the Orient is surprising us with a push for environmental protection that we didn't expect: Saudi Arabia.
90% less waste in landfills by 2040, waste avoidance through ambitious strategic planning and the implementation of circular economy principles are the goals that have been set on the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is not only driving forward the transformation of its economy, but is also vigorously pursuing sustainability initiatives. For the first time, the country presented its transformation journey to the global public and investors at IFAT 2024, the trade fair for waste management (May 13 - 17, 2024). "The corporate and residential waste management sector plays a central role in the national transformation under Vision 2030," says Sultan AlHarthi, Director of Corporate Communications at the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN).
Established in 2019, MWAN is the national regulatory body tasked with planning and ensuring the sustainability of the waste management sector. As part of this mandate, MWAN is developing a strategic national master plan based on a national strategy that incorporates the principles of the circular economy.
79% of waste is to be recycled by 2040. Saudi Arabia is therefore investing heavily in appropriate technologies and know-how. Among other things, a national database is to become the centerpiece for achieving the planned progress.
