IN line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the Waste Collection and Recycling Company (WASCO), a leading integrated recycling and waste management company, has announced the launch of phase two in its innovative waste sorting facility in Al Ahsa.

Originally planned for its official launch five years after phase one of the project (inaugurated in 2017), phase two has now been fully approved to supply the increasing demand for recycled materials in the Kingdom. Al-Ahsa Municipality launched the waste sorting plant project in accordance with environmental best practice requirements while adopting the latest high-tech equipment.

New technology utilized in phase two of Al Ahsa includes a significant investment in Optical Sorting, the automated process of sorting solid products using near infra-red (NIR). With the capability of automatically detecting and sorting materials quickly and effectively, Optical Sorting will allow the Al Ahsa waste sorting facility to dramatically improve the recycling yield and increase overall productivity.

Commenting on the project, Engineer Najib Fakih, president of WASCO, said, “Phase two of Al Ahsa symbolizes WASCO’s commitment to utilize state-of-the-art waste sorting technology. Using a combination of sensor technology and software-driven intelligence, optical sorters at Al Ahsa recognize an objects' color, size, shape and structural properties and then compares them to pre-defined criteria to identify suitable materials to be recycled.”

Fakih added, “As WASCO moves forward in its ambitious waste management objectives, innovations deployed in Al Ahsa phase two will ensure the company maintains it’s positioning as the largest waste collection and sorting company in the Middle East and Africa, while continuing to expand its reach regionally. Furthermore, the WASCO team is thrilled to welcome numerous high-profile guests to its facilities in Al Ahsa to review the latest advancements in its waste sorting projects.”

WASCO is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Middle East Paper Co. (MEPCO), collecting over 40% of Saudi Arabia’s waste paper through a fleet of collection trucks in various locations and supplying 26 collection centres around the Kingdom and Middle East. Founded in 2004, WASCO’s current collection capability is almost 500,000 tons per year.

Waste Collection & Recycling Co. Ltd. (WASCO) is the largest waste collection and sorting company in the Middle East and Africa. WASCO specializes in the collection of waste paper and cartons. WASCO has since started collecting other materials including plastic, aluminum and steel and is the first company in Saudi Arabia to manage plastic and metal waste.

WASCO anticipates growth of up to one million tons in the next five years. WASCO collects the required materials from different sources such as landfills, shopping centers, industries, governmental entities, and also imports from outside KSA. WASCO employs more than 1,000 employees over its range of operations with over 300 collection trucks in various locations in Saudi Arabia with a 24 hour on call services and 24 collection hubs around the Middle East.

MEPCO is the second largest vertically-integrated paper manufacturer in the Middle East and Africa region offering a diverse range of paper products to customers around the world. The company’s innovative approach to doing business enables it to deliver significant environmental and economic benefit to its home market. MEPCO exports its products from Saudi Arabia to the GCC and wider Middle East & Africa region; furthermore, it has developed a growing presence in South Asia, the Americas and Europe. — SG