The United Arab Emirates is planning to ban non-biodegradable plastic products beginning next year, and it is possible it can work with the latest technological invention from WMS Metal Industries now working locally. And the best part of this machine may be that it makes money! The idea, already in operation, is a machine that sorts garbage from recyclables automatically close to the source.
It was built by two Egyptian men, who were inspired by Cairo’s garbage collectors, the Zabaleen.
In 2012, one study found that residents in Abu Dhabi alone generate over 30,000 tons of waste per day. This contributes to the over 30 million tons of waste the UAE generates every year.
However, hope is on the horizon. WMS Metal Industries has created a product that can make recycling as easy as pushing a button. Literally.
“A typical 20-story building with 6 tenants per floor can make about 7,000 AED a month,” says WMSMI founder Mohamed Nassar to Wamda. That computes to about 59 AED, or US $16, a month, per tenant.
This product can be attached to garbage chutes and allow to dispose of their recyclable products. Users can dispose of their recyclable products and have it separated automatically by pressing a knob to indicate what type of recyclable product it is. The device will allow users to sort plastic, paper, cardboard, and metal. The recyclables will then be sorted into separate containers and kept secure so that there is no foul play or theft.
Mohamed Nassar and his brother, Mostafa, have created this device with their company, WMS Metal Industries. They have already installed nine devices at the Abu Dhabi Central Market, as well as several at New York University’s campus in Abu Dhabi, and are looking to expand.
There are plans to install these devices in Sharjah in hopes of implementing a broader recycling program and in Dubai, where the expansion of the city’s “My City, My Environment” door-to-door recycling service was recently put on hold.
Though recycling isn’t heavily enforced and residents may not understand the difference between the green and black bins, here’s hoping WMSMI’s device will change the recycling world’s outlook in the UAE.
The company also provides recycling bins of the non-automated variety, if the old fashioned way of recycling is more your style.
We love to hear news of local Middle Eastern companies taking on sustainability challenges. We guess this is why WMS Metal Industries is listed on the Dubai SME 100.
Thank you very much for the coverage, we are about to roll out our next patent which we feel will be a great success. If interested in covering the story feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Mostafa Nassar