Saudi NCWM awards 200 waste management licenses in 4 months: CEO

Abdullah Alsebaei, CEO of National Center for Waste Management

National Center for Waste Management (NCWM) awarded more than 200 waste management licenses since granting of licenses four months ago, CEO Abdullah Alsebaei told CNBC Arabia TV.

He added that the center witnessed significant interest from the private sector regarding licensing, given it aims to officially carry out the waste management business.

The waste management sector is likely to contribute SAR 120 billion to the Kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035, the top executive said.

He indicated that Saudi Arabia recycles approximately 53 million tons annually of all types of waste, noting the target recycling rate exceeds 40%.

"The Kingdom recycles organic waste to fertilizers and other soil conditioners by about 35%. It also generates energy-from-waste by nearly 20%," Alsebaei said.

NCWM is cooperating with companies such as Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) to create an environment that stimulates recycling of products, which can be used in several life cycles. This aims to offer products that are based on the principle of a circular economy.

The center, through its waste management system, has developed a robust system for granting licenses with technical and feasibility requirements to ensure licensing valuable works and protecting investors.

The CEO said the centre is working to legalize the export of waste used in the Kingdom, such as paper and cardboard, to support the local industries. However, importing is carried out according to strict conditions; principally, the waste should be fully utilized instead of land filling.