Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi's first greenfield Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is expected to start operations in 2028. Once up and running, it will process up to 400,000 tonnes of waste every year and recover recyclable materials before they reach the landfill.
Tadweer Group, which is leading the MRF development, recently awarded the contract to deliver the project to environmental solutions company Urbaser, as part of a push to divert 80% of Abu Dhabi's waste away from the landfill by 2031.
Speaking to Aletihad, Tadweer Group CEO Etienne Petit said the MRF marks "an important evolution" in how Abu Dhabi manages waste and recovers resources.
"Waste is no longer something to dispose of; it is a resource to recover," Petit said.
The priority, he stressed, is to maximise the value of every waste stream by returning recyclable materials to the economy.
The 400,000-tonne capacity of the MRF will be split evenly between municipal solid waste and commercial and industrial waste each year.
As the facility recovers recyclables, suitable residual waste will be directed towards energy recovery, with landfill reserved only for materials that cannot be reused.
Advanced optical systems, AI, sensors, and automated separation equipment will be used to identify, sort and recover materials more quickly, accurately and efficiently, Petit said.
The project, he added, "reflects the transition from conventional waste disposal towards a modern, integrated resource management model".
Such integration extends beyond the MRF itself: Petit said the facility and Abu Dhabi's Waste-to-Energy plant will work together within a single resource management system that prioritises recycling, followed by energy recovery, with landfill kept strictly as a last resort.
"By connecting these facilities within a single system, Abu Dhabi will recover greater value from every waste stream, improve operational efficiency, and continue reducing its reliance on landfill," he said.
Wider Impact
Petit is confident that the impact of the MRF will extend well beyond waste management. For instance, the facility will strengthen domestic recycling capabilities and support the development of more reliable markets for recovered materials.
"The value of the facility lies not only in the volume of waste it will process, but also in the more resilient and resource-efficient economy it will help build for future generations," he said.
It is expected to help conserve natural resources, support sustainable industrial development, improve resource security, contribute to Abu Dhabi's economic diversification, and create skilled jobs and technical expertise for a modern circular economy.
"Ultimately, this is about building the infrastructure that will support Abu Dhabi's circular economy for decades to come," Petit said.
The Tadweer Group CEO said such initiatives position the emirate as a regional leader in sustainable waste management. "These investments demonstrate how cities can reduce landfill dependency while generating measurable environmental, economic and social value from waste."
