The rate of industrial growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is exponential and unparalleled in the Middle East region. This has created a significant requirement for improvement of existing infrastructure and development of new waste management capacities.
To recognize this factor, Jeddah-based Global Environmental Management Services LLC (GEMS), Saudi Arabia, are nipping at the heels of Integrated Waste Management (IWM) model in this country with plans to maximize efficiency, environmental sustainability and economic savings, while enabling industries to remain compliant with stringent regulatory standards and their quality standards including ISO 14001.
The holistic approach of GEMS through IWM is to implement a full range of industrial services across Saudi Arabia along all stages of the waste cycle from the point of waste generation — industrial cleaning, safe waste collection and handling, transportation and logistics, treatment and recycle, and final disposal of significantly minimized residues.
The IWM process starts with the development of a Waste Management Plan (WMP), which is prepared in collaboration with the waste generator to establish all the pertinent hazard and resource recovery parameters for the waste, including detailed waste characterization studies/analyzes, correct ADR classification and pilot testing/treatability studies.
Dr. Amyn S. Dahya, CEO of GEMS said “This plan identifies the necessary HSE protective measures required from the point of extraction/collection to discharge at the GEMS Integrated Waste Management Center (IWMC).”
He added that all equipment used during industrial cleaning, waste collection, transportation and discharge are fully ADR compliant and built on the basis of Best Available Technology (BAT).
The reason to use Best Available Technology (BAT) in all IWMC unit operations is to achieve waste minimization and maximum recovery of reusable end products from solid and liquid wastes.
A number of waste streams received at the IWMC are also used as process reagents, thus increasing efficiency and minimizing use of new reagents.
“IWM is a valuable way for waste management in the KSA,” Dr. Yahya added.
GEMS to tackle industrial waste management through IWM
