SIRC said that the new facility is expected to recycle around five million tonnes of construction and demolition waste annually by 2035

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Image: SIRC to build recycling facility for construction debris in Riyadh. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Gaida from Pixabay.

Saudi Investment Recycling (SIRC) has planned to construct Saudi Arabia’s first recycling facility for construction debris in Riyadh as part of efforts of the kingdom to overhaul a landfill-dominated waste-management industry.

The facility will process construction and demolition waste into aggregates for use in roads and concrete applications for a 35,000-unit residential housing project.

SIRC, a subsidiary of the government’s Public Investment Fund, will manage the project, the first of its kind in the kingdom.

Construction on the first phase of the project will begin shortly is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

However, the company did not reveal the cost of the project.

SIRC chief executive Jeroen Vincent said in a statement: “The new waste-sorting and recycling facility is only the beginning of a series of similar facilities to be launched within the next three years, with a broader goal of recycling all kinds of waste, such as fertilisers, paper, plastic and metals.”

SIRC has also planned a sorting facility for solid municipal waste

Vincent said that the scheme will be followed by the construction of a sorting facility for solid municipal waste.

Riyadh produces around 3.4 million tonnes of solid household waste and eight million tonnes of construction and demolition waste annually.

Studies commissioned by the sovereign fund revealed that the kingdom recycles only 10% of the 50m tonnes of recyclable materials produced each year.

The new facility is expected to recycle five million tonnes of annual construction and demolition waste by 2035. The debris will be turned into materials for use in road construction and housing projects.

Moreover, the company plans to set up a facility for managing, treating and sorting municipal waste.

The economic overhaul plan announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016 focuses on more efficient waste management.

The Riyadh municipality is rolling out a pilot project for residents to sort household waste into separate bins for organic and inorganic waste.