Jafza and Imdaad cut landfill waste by 37 per cent in 9 months

Jebel Ali Freezone (Jafza) has cut its landfill waste by 37 per cent in just nine months this year through a new partnership with Imdaad, a Dubai-based company specialising in sustainable facilities management, marking a major step in the UAE's journey towards a circular economy.

The significant reduction in landfill waste is thanks to an innovative new Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) plant, which uses general leftover waste from the material recovery facility to power industrial furnaces instead of fossil fuels.

The RDF plant was built by Jafza and Imdaad under a joint venture entity called FARZ, founded in 2020 at the National Industries Park in Jebel Ali.

FARZ initially treated up to 1,200 tonnes of waste per day, recovering 12-15 per cent as recyclable materials and sending the rest to landfills. The new RDF plant now processes and converts an additional 150 tonnes of waste daily into clean energy for industrial applications and manufacturing.

Abdulla Al Hashmi, Chief Operating Officer of Parks and Zones at DP World GCC, said, "At DP World, sustainability is central to our operations. Transitioning to a circular economy helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels and ensures that even waste becomes a resource.

This partnership with Imdaad reflects our shared commitment to innovation, investment and sets new benchmarks for environmental responsibility, in line with the UAE's goals. As the UAE positions itself as a global leader in sustainable development, projects like FARZ exemplify how private sector collaboration can deliver scalable solutions to complex challenges."

Since January this year, the initiative has redirected 37 per cent of waste on average, generated 312 million kWh of renewable energy, sufficient to power thousands of homes, saved over 201,137 trees saved by reducing CO2 emissions and conserved 2.2 million cubic metres of landfill space, alleviating environmental impact.

Imdaad and Jafza aim to divert over 80 per cent of waste from landfills by 2026, with the full integration of FARZ into the waste management system at the Jebel Ali Free Zone. This is part of a multi-year contract with DP World to enhance environmental sustainability in the UAE's logistics sector.

Mahmood Rasheed, Chief Operating Officer of Imdaad, said, "This initiative exemplifies our commitment to the UAE's sustainability goals, transforming waste into clean energy for a myriad of industries and significantly reducing environmental impact."

WAM