Waste management is booming, with increasing demand for efficient and sustainable waste disposal solutions.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture aims to recycle up to 100 million tonnes of waste annually to achieve sustainability. This comes through a larger plan to develop the kingdom’s waste management and sector via a new recycling initiative highlighted in a 2023 annual report by the SPA.

As a part of the initiative, the ministry has set a recycling target of 95%, recognizing the existence of hazardous industrial waste, including medical waste. It also seeks to add nearly $32 billion to the country’s GDP and create job opportunities for more than 100,000 Saudis.

The country has outlined comprehensive plans and strategies, such as the National Environment Strategy, which includes 65 initiatives and is backed by a $14.6 billion investment in the sector.

The ministry’s 2023 annual report highlighting the Saudi environmental system’s dedication to sustainable development goals states that the current recycling rate in the kingdom’s waste management sector is the lowest globally, ranging from 3% to 4%. 

“The disposal of such waste is guided by scientific principles to safeguard citizens and address potential risks that might not be immediately evident,” the report stated.

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