Regional online food delivery and q-commerce platform Talabat has launched a sustainable packaging program to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions across the region, starting with pilot operations in the UAE and Qatar. The launch is part of Delivery Hero’s (Talabat’s parent company) global rollout of the program, across eight markets.
Talabat’s new packaging, which will be available for select restaurant partners and vendors to adopt, is 100 percent plant-based and contains no perfluoroalkoxy-alkanes (PFA), which are commonly known as forever chemicals, and cannot be broken down by nature. The packaging has also been rigorously tested to meet food safety, quality assurance, sustainability, and ethical supply standards.
Research conducted by Delivery Hero underlined that consumers want a more sustainable delivery ecosystem; 92 percent of customers in the UAE would consider ordering from restaurants that offer sustainable packaging, while two-thirds of customers in the UAE would order more from a restaurant that offers sustainable packaging.
Tomaso Rodriguez, CEO of Talabat, said that the organization is committed to creating a sustainable delivery ecosystem.
“Globally, I think everyone can agree that a plastic-free world is imperative. Statistics from the National Geographic and Ellen McArthur Foundation show that currently 91 percent of the world’s plastic is not recycled — and 70 percent of plastic ends up in landfills or the natural environment. By 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish. That is the enormity of the challenge that as a planet, we are facing.
“Regionally, our ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable delivery ecosystem by constantly introducing industry-leading standards and innovations, and that every product purchased through our Talabat platform be delivered in sustainable packaging,” said Rodriguez.
“However, this is not a short-term or medium-term fix. Through introducing our sustainable packaging program to the region as a pilot, we are aiming to influence the reduction of food packaging wastage.”
He added: “Also, as part of Delivery Hero, who are introducing this same initiative initially in seven other markets around the globe — Qatar, Austria, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary and Singapore — we are able to produce this packaging at scale, with the aim of deploying 10 million units globally by the end of 2022, which makes it a cost-effective solution to normal packaging for our restaurant partners and vendors.”
Source: Arab News
Schneider’s Internet-of-Things and Cloud-Based technologies will help ensure that Nestlé Al Maha factory in the UAE avoids unplanned downtime, improves asset performance and optimizes electricity usage
The Nestlé Al Maha factory in Dubai is benefiting from an innovative approach to the maintenance of its Low Voltage electrical machinery, thanks to technology from Schneider Electric.
The solution is helping Nestlé’s operations team monitor power management, electrical loads and temperature settings from all of the factory’s connected assets, so they can address issues proactively, avoid unplanned downtime and mitigate safety risks as well as optimize electrical loads to make the facility more energy efficient. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure technology evaluates data in real time from the plant’s electrical equipment and uses cloud-based predictive analytics to identify and resolve potential faults.
Located in Dubai South, the Nestlé Al Maha factory in Dubai was opened in 2017 and produces NESCAFÉ and MAGGI products. The facility is one of the most advanced in the region; it runs on 100 percent LED lighting, is insulated to save air-conditioning energy, and recycles 100 percent of the waste from the production lines. Nestlé has also installed the country’s largest ground-mounted private solar plant – 20,000 photovoltaic panels in total – that generate 9GWh of electricity annually to supply the factory’s annual energy needs, eliminating nearly 6 million kilograms of CO2 per year.
“This facility is one of our most advanced in the region in terms of energy usage and efficiency, and we’re always looking at how we can improve on our operations, to make the plant more sustainable, reliable and more productive,” said Cristian Fernández, Nestlé Chief Engineer Middle East and North Africa.. “Schneider Electric is helping us to better monitor our equipment, so that we’re able to optimize electricity loads and proactively monitor our assets, reduce unplanned downtime to a minimum and ensure the safe operation of the factory’s equipment.”
The solutions implemented at the factory includes Edge Control power management software, EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert, and Artificial Intelligence-powered services including EcoStruxure Asset Advisor. The software will provide the Nestlé engineering team with insights into asset reliability, electrical system health and energy efficiency. With its open, scalable architecture, the EcoStruxure platform connects to smart devices across the electrical system and integrates with process control systems and enterprise data platforms. Data is analyzed by cloud-based algorithms, and the solutions provide insights into equipment health and suggest predictive maintenance schedules, allowing for a proactive approach to asset management.
“We understand how critical it is to keep electrical equipment and assets running at their best, to optimize energy usage, improve safety conditions, and ensure that there’s no unplanned downtime,” said Waseem Taqqali, Vice President Field Services, Schneider Electric Middle East and Africa. “Nestlé has worked to make the Dubai South factory as green and as efficient as possible, and we’re delighted that we’ll be able to support them in their aim. Our EcoStruxure technology will help ensure that there’s no unplanned electrical shutdowns and that electrical equipment is running at its best in terms of energy usage.”
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, is composting 125kg of food waste per day, at its state-of-the-art staff accommodation centre, Farnek Village.
The resulting compost is then used to grow salad plants in the building’s vertical rooftop garden, helping the company to close the loop and create a circular economy.
The composter was commissioned by Farnek to celebrate World Environmental Day on 5th June and measures three metres long, one metre wide and 1.3 metres high, with a capacity of 125 kilos. The machine processes all types of organic waste like curry, roti, rice, bread, eggshells, chicken, mutton, fish, fish bones, chicken bones, fruit, fruit, vegetables, peelings and other kitchen waste.
“All of the food waste from the staff dining hall is emptied into food waste bins. These are wheeled over to the composting machine, which uses special microorganisms to break down and decompose the organic waste. The process only takes between 24-36 hours and it reduces the original volume by 80-90%, so we end up with around 12-25kg of nutrient-rich fertilizer,” said Nadia Ibrahim, Head of Consultancy & Sustainability at Farnek.
“The decomposition process of food waste emits methane gas which is reportedly 25 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide (CO2). So, composting our food waste is an efficient way of reducing our carbon emissions as well as cutting down on our disposal costs.
“It is comforting to know that while we are serving meals to our 5,000 staff, we are saving up to 400 kilos of carbon and around 200 kilos of food waste every day. In the circular economy today’s waste is tomorrow’s raw materials,” added Ibrahim.
Farnek arranged for a team of experts from Urban Ponics in the Netherlands to fly into Dubai to set up the rooftop garden and nursery and construct a 200sqm ‘shade house’, which provides a blend of shade and light to create suitable conditions for shade-loving plants to thrive with green shade netting, grow pods, lava buckets, misters, pumps, water tanks, irrigation and drainage pipes.
The produce is being grown using internationally recognised, sustainable methods including the use of vertical farming columns for a “mistponic” application, which is by far, the most sustainable soil-less growing technique, as it uses up to 90% less water than the most efficient conventional hydroponic and aquaponic systems.
“The 240 sqm area of rooftop, yields the equivalent of a half-acre of cultivated land, so, it’s a hundred times more efficient than conventional farming,” said Ibrahim.
Seedlings are grown in a dedicated nursery, in reusable plastic trays, which are lined with biodegradable bags, made from recycled potato starch. They are nurtured over a couple of weeks before being transferred into a small outdoor nursery. Once their roots have strengthened, they are ready to be planted in the main shade house.
Source: Press release
Dettol has partnered with Dubai-based startup ZeLoop to offer consumers a simple and convenient way to recycle their hygiene goods packaging.
ZeLoop is a mobile platform that aims to shift consumer behavior by rewarding users for collecting & recycling plastic waste, ultimately minimising waste from cluttering landfills. The app leverages blockchain technology to allow users to record new deposit spots, validate collected plastic amounts and exchange rewards for a donation towards other initiatives that drive a circular economy – accelerating efforts towards a healthier planet.
“At Dettol, we believe in creating a cleaner and healthier world. The pandemic has accelerated our efforts to extend the lifespan of our packaging and double down on our investment to ensure plastic is kept within the supply chain and out of the environment. Partnerships, such as the one with ZeLoop, are at the heart of bringing this ambition to life. Zeloop is a home-grown business and shares Dettol’s vision for a more sustainable planet. The UAE has recently announced ambitions to drive a circular economy and is working towards hosting one of the most sustainable world Expos ever - we want to ensure that we’re playing a meaningful role in supporting these efforts and building a more sustainable planet for future generations,” said Imran Yousuf, Marketing Director, Dettol Middle East.
Eric Schaffner, Founder & CEO, ZeLoop, added: “It is great that Dettol is prioritising the hygiene and safety of people during the pandemic - without losing sight of its responsibility towards the environment. We are very pleased to be supported by
Dettol to take care of the health of our planet.” Dettol is working towards launching similar initiatives across the Middle East, as it continues to accelerate global efforts to collect, sort, and recycle plastic across the world. Globally, Dettol has committed to ensuring that 100% of its packaging will be recyclable or reusable by 2025. Where the brand continues to use plastic in packaging, it will ensure that at least 25% of its content is recycled plastic by 2025, based on local regulations. Dettol products will also be clearly labelled to educate consumers on how to best recycle them.
Source: TradeArabia News Service
SirajPower said it has been engaged as a long-term partner starting with a significant 7 MWp solar rooftop installation for Emirates Printing Press in three of their plants, one of the region’s leading, high-quality press facilities in Dubai Industrial City (DIC) and Al Quoz.
The solar rooftop project covers an area of 56,000 sq m, and will produce 10.6 GWh of clean energy annually, offsetting more than 7,000 MT of CO2 emissions, it stated.
On the deal, Chairman Mohammed Abdulghaffar Hussain said: "We continue to take the lead in the local energy sector with another significant deal signed with Al Shirawi Group, a prominent local and regional market player."
"Over a very short period of time, many local conglomerates have joined our journey to a greener economy, and this further strengthens our position as the preferred solar partner for major UAE groups," he stated.
"The current momentum from these important established companies gives a strong message to the market as it showcases the private sector’s commitment to achieving national priorities. This also perfectly aligns with the UAE’s vision for the next 50 years. Together with our existing and new partners, we want to support our country in its next phase of development where clean energy plays a central role," he added.
Group Chairman Mohamed Al Shirawi said: "We want to continue growing our core businesses more sustainably while contributing to UAE’s green economy. Choosing SirajPower as our green partner of choice to take us through this new exciting journey wasn’t a hard choice."
"SirajPower's impressive track record of successfully working with reputable UAE conglomerates from various industries such as Al Ghurair, Mir Hashem Khoory Group (MHK), Bin Dasmal Group, and Airlink International UAE played a key role in our decision," he noted.
Al Shirawi Group was established over 50 years ago and is part of Oasis Investment company, the holding company. It consists of 30 companies across various industries and employs more than 10,000 workers.
The Sustainable City (TSC), the Middle East’s first fully-operational sustainable community, announced it has introduced a new electronic waste (e-waste) collection and management solutions for the community.
The 24-Hour e-Waste drop-off station - created in collaboration with EFATE, a UAE Based e-waste Management Company - will provide a free and efficient e-waste management solution to residents and the general public.
EFATE has installed a container that is specialised in recycling and providing smart waste solutions inside the TSC, closer to the main entrance. Residents and the public can drop their e-waste at this station, where it will be collected and taken to a recycling facility and separated.
Useful components that contain raw materials will be reused in manufacturing new products and useless parts will be crushed without causing any harmful emissions.
Recyclable e-waste including laptops, printers, tablets, mobile phones, CPUs, TVs, stereos, and other electronic items will be collected at the station. EFATE also offers free pick-up for large electronic items.
Not only recycling, but the drop-off station will also ensure the right re-use of the collected e-waste. After the sorting process in the waste processing facility, the electronics in working condition will be donated to charity. EFATE will also attempt to refurbish and repair the possible items and hand them out for free to those who come from socially disadvantaged groups.
Faris Saeed, CEO and co-founder of Diamond Developers, said, "In the past years, the level of electronic waste has seen an unprecedented increase. The world now discards approximately 50 million tonnes of e-waste per year and it’s a scary fact that only 20 percent of this is recycled properly! As a responsible society, we need to identify better methods and means of not just disposing of the e-waste but, most importantly, reusing and recycling it."
Mohammed Al Hammadi, CEO of EFATE, commented, "We follow the best practices in waste management and collection. And with the support of e-waste data, we spread awareness among our customers about the deeper impact that improper management of e-waste has on our environment. We are so proud to partner and share our vision of a greener future with a benchmark project like The Sustainable City."
CHEP, the supply chain solutions company, has announced a two-year contract renewal plus increased business with Nestlé Middle East & North Africa (MENA) to replace traditional white exchange pallets with a CHEP managed pallet pooling solution throughout the region. The switch from white wood to CHEP pooled pallets is expected to streamline Nestlé’s supply chain, while reducing cost and driving sustainability benefits mainly reducing de-forestation and less CO2 emissions.
Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage company. With its regional head office located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nestlé operates 25 factories in 19 countries across MENA. The Nestlé product portfolio in the region currently exceeds 60 brands in a wide range of categories: dairy and infant nutrition, bottled water, chocolate and confectionery, coffee creamers, breakfast cereals, culinary products and pet food, among others.
Stefano Crotti, Nestlé Head of Logistics MENA, said: “For Nestlé, the Middle East and North Africa means growth with sustainable operations, talent and innovation. Improvements in service to customers, quality and cost have been important drivers to switch from white pallet exchange to CHEP, as well as the strategic fit of CHEP being our recognised partner across our supply chain. Furthermore, the sustainability advantage that is built into the CHEP’s ‘share and reuse’ business model is important to contribute to a circular economy and in meeting Nestlé’s commitment for Zero net emissions by 2050”.
Marco Salort, CHEP MENA Commercial Director, said:. “Nestlé is a key strategic global customer for CHEP. We share a vision of the future based on sustainability and responsibility towards our environment”.
“We at CHEP understand that our customers are an extension of our activity and consider them to be part of our company. We have collaborated very openly to successfully develop a long-term model built around service excellence, cost efficiencies, process standardisation and sustainability. The MENA agreement provides a clear framework under which we can continue to partner together to build ongoing efficiencies and value’’.
Global logistics company Agility said on Thursday that it is installing solar power plants in Dubai and Jordan that would eventually cut the company's carbon footprint in the Middle East by 5 percent.
Agility said it is building four on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems totalling 8.8 megawatts peak (MWp) in Dubai and Jordan.
"Globally, Agility's goal is to reduce its carbon footprint by 25 percent by 2050. Our investment in solar is a huge step in the right direction and will cut the company's global emissions by 3%," said Elias Monem, CEO Middle East & Africa, Agility GIL.
In Dubai, the installation would include a 5.45 MW solar PV system at two sites in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), and a 2.6 MW system at the Dubai Investment Park.
Once complete, the three solar PV systems would together generate enough electricity to cover 60 percent of the energy requirements at the sites and reduce estimated 8,838 tonnes of CO2 annually.
In Jordan, the solar PV plant with a capacity of 788 kilo-watt peak would be installed at Agility's warehouse in Aqaba, generating enough electricity to cover 100 percent of the facility's energy requirements and reduce estimated 900 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Both locations would be equipped with 19,445 high-efficiency, water-proofed solar PV panels designed for hot desert climates and robotic cleaning systems.
Clenergize Solar Consultants is the main project advisor for Dubai and Jordan projects.
Abu Dhabi-based Alliances for Global Sustainability (AGS) has announced its partnership with Veolia to establish the most advanced food-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling plant in the GCC region.
The 14,000 tonne capacity plant is being backed by a number of entities including Abu Dhabi’s Environment Agency, Tadweer and Kizad, and will be located in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad). The recycling plant will be capable of using advanced sorting technologies, coupled with a high-performance washing line.
AGS stated the project will fully integrate Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s ambitious waste management strategy which aims to divert waste from landfill, enhance recycling, and promote a circular economy. It will also have a state-of-the-art extrusion process for sorting, shredding and washing the PET, before it is melted into regenerated raw material that can be used for F&B packaging.
The recycling plant will boost Abu Dhabi’s circular economy while providing innovative solutions to the global sustainability sector, AGS added.
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, CEO, AGS, said that through the development of this innovative facility, AGS aims to help consolidate Abu Dhabi’s position as a leader within the sustainability sector, while also further enabling a circular economy and encouraging habitual recycling.
“The economic impact of developing and operating this facility will be realised through both job creation and further opportunities in the emirate’s waste management sector. The results of this will showcase lucrative investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi to global markets,” he noted.
“Aligning with Abu Dhabi’s Environment Vision, the UAE’s Green Agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, this state-of-the-art facility will support sustainable development not only here in Abu Dhabi but throughout the UAE and GCC,” she concluded.
Muscat, Nov 1 (ONA) --- Amana Waqf Funds Management Company today launched its first solar power project to transform mosques into environment-friendly buildings using clean energy and utilizing the surplus to generate more revenue to the Waqf establishment.
An agreement to this effect was signed by Amana with one of the small and medium enterprises specialized in the field.
The initiative comes as a strategic approach meant to open inroads by supplying endowment projects with solar power. The next step is to proceed with other enterprises that generate social and environmental benefits. The initiative figures among the strategic choices undertaken by Amana Investments to found socioeconomic quality projects that generate employment opportunities for Omani youth.
Eng. Yousef bin Ali al-Harthy, CEO of Amana, pointed out that the initiative fits with Oman Vision 2040 and the global green buildings trend. The Sultanate, with its year-round sunshine provides a great opportunity for sustainable solar projects, al-Harthy added.
Amana project revolutionizes the concept of investment and energy production, said al-Harthy. “Besides transforming mosques into smart, green and self-funding buildings, the new project opens vistas for new types of Waqf generating revenue in a similar, but more sustainable manner than traditional Waqf projects,” al-Harthy explained.
He pointed out that the project aims to cut energy consumption in prayer areas by 40%, in addition to 20% extra power, which Amana will coordinate to invest and generate revenue for the mosques in cooperation with the departments concerned.
The shift to new sources of renewable energy is considered an important part of the Sultanate’s ambitious plans to capitalize on clean energy with the prime aim of providing 30% of its energy needs by 2040.
