Abu Dhabi: Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and social enterprise Nadeera have partnered to introduce an innovative recycling solution in communities near EGA’s plant in Jebel Ali.
Yalla Return, developed by Nadeera, is an innovative platform to promote effective recycling by consumers. The program uses technology as a community engagement tool to encourage and incentivize recycling through a mobile application that is linked to technology-enabled waste collection bins. The program will now be rolled out to some 4,000 households near the Jebel Ali site.
Recycling aluminum takes 95 percent less energy than making new metal, generating a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, EGA announced the start of construction of the UAE’s largest aluminum recycling plant.
EGA spearheaded the development of an Aluminium Recycling Coalition with beverage can-makers, beverage producers, and waste management companies to improve the recycling rate of aluminum cans in the UAE. Some 660 million beverage cans are consumed in the UAE each year, and only around a third are currently recycled.
Mr. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said that, “Aluminium is an essential material for human progress, and too much is still thrown away including in communities that live right next to EGA’s plants. Nadeera will help us create more awareness on the importance of recycling among our neighbors, and I am pleased that this partnership means we are extending our cooperation with them.”
Nadeera was a finalist in the first season of EGA Ramp-up, the company’s corporate social responsibility program to support entrepreneurship as a further contribution to UAE economic growth.
EGA supports communities near its operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi through corporate social responsibility programs, including sports tournaments, community clean-up drives, and recruitment campaigns. EGA operates a hotline for members of neighboring communities to contact the company with any comments or concerns.