Sahul Group set to open e-waste facility in 2019
dubai — There are numerous initiatives launched by various government authorities, municipalities and the private sector to address the processing and handling of ewaste in the UAE. Many have had a positive impact. Sahul Group has undertaken one such initiative. It is in the process of setting up the UAE’s first integrated e-waste and electronics refurbishment facility in the region.
Sahul Agarwala is the promoter and managing director of the UAEbased Sahul Group, which has evolved from a small trading house into a multi-business conglomerate over the last decade. The group has business interests in electronics products distribution, food processing and trading, business process outsourcing services, reverse supply chain solutions, healthcare and tourism in the UAE.
Agarwala is also an investor in various startups in technology and healthcare in the region. The group employs over 100 employees of more than 35 nationalities.
According to Agarwala, the integrated e-waste recycling and electronics refurbishment facility, which will be operational by January 2019, will fill a void in the current market.
While the refurbishment of electronic products increases their reach among marginalised societies in developing countries, thus contributing to an improvement in the standard of living, e-waste recycling uses best technologies to recover precious resources.
The group will also launch a dedicated platform — ‘Grenew’ — which will integrate the collection of e-waste from households and act as a marketplace for refurbished products. The ‘Grenew’ platform will be free of charge for users to dispose of their household e-waste.
The mega facility, which has investment over Dh90 million, will work on a ‘zero waste’ philosophy. The facility, which uses the latest technology sourced through a joint venture with European companies, has been designed to maximise resource recoverability and avoid any adverse impact on environment and humans. It will have dedicated lines for various categories of ewaste, including refrigerators/cooling devices, home appliances, TV/ LCD, information technology/mobiles/screens, among others.
All operations will be carried out safely, with a special emphasis on data security, a concern for many businesses and individuals. The facility’s objective is end-toend processing of all e-waste within the UAE. The total installed capacity at the facility will be 40,000 MT per annum. There will also be an education centre, showroom and conference area in the administrative office.
“Currently, informal recyclers in the UAE recover only parts that are of value and easy to dismantle. The toxic and complex products are diverted to landfills, incinerated unscientifically or mixed with municipal solid waste. India has recently introduced the extended producer responsibility scheme, which is a significant move. During our interactions with authorities, I see an increasing momentum for sustainable development. The UAE government is taking the right steps towards initiating an e-waste policy to create systems that are resilient to climate change,” said Agarwala.
He added that the group intends to contribute significantly to achieve the UAE’ strategic goals with regard to environment and climate change.
The UAE is taking the right steps towards initiating an e-waste policy
Sahul Agarwala, promoter and managing director of Sahul Group