Potential to recycle 40,000 tonnes of plastic waste in Oman

The Omani government’s recent landmark announcement banning single-use plastic bags in the Sultanate with effect from January 1, 2021 has the potential to impart new momentum to recycling activities as well as initiatives in support of the Circular Economy.

In particular, a study by the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) has identified opportunities for the recycling of a modest, but promising, portion of the huge amounts of plastic waste generated annually in the Sultanate.

With postconsumer plastic waste estimated in the order of 420,000 metric tonnes per annum, the potential for recycling is roughly equivalent to a promising 40,000 metrics tonnes, the report, titled ‘Unveiling the Recycling Opportunity in Oman”, noted.

Ministerial Decision 23/2020, issued by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, prohibits companies and commercial organisations from handing out single-use shopping bags to customers from the start of 2021. The measure will likely apply to a wide range of shops, groceries and businesses dealing in consumer goods.

The study by GPCA, which represents the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf, sought to understand the “prevalent waste management scenario in (the Sultanate), the current state of plastic recycling as well as challenges and opportunities in plastic waste management”.

It found that only around four per cent of the estimated 420,000 metric tonnes of postconsumer plastic waste being generated in Oman was recycled, with the remainder ending up in landfills.

“If we compare this with the European average of 15 per cent recycling rate, Oman has an opportunity to recycle a further 40,000 MT of plastic waste. This can add substantial value to Oman’s economy in terms of value retention and value creation, job growth, economic diversification as well as environmental protection,” GPCA stated in its findings.

The Association, which has a number of Oman-based petrochemical firms as members, urged the Sultanate to ramp up its recycling investments, stressing this would help the country achieve its UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Oman 2040 Vision strategy. “Furthermore, it will enable brand owners to meet their announced targets on utilising more recycled material in their packaging and will be a key market driver,” it added.

STUDY BY THE GULF PETROCHEMICALS AND CHEMICALS ASSOCIATION (GPCA) FINDS THAT 96PC OF ESTIMATED 420,000 TONNES OF POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC WASTE ENDS UP IN LANDFILLS IN OMAN