Recycling in Kuwait

 Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state.

The recycling market remains more-or-less untapped in Kuwait, creating businesses opportunities for companies specializing in the recycling of household and industrial waste.

It is estimated that Kuwaitis generate more household and industrial waste than almost any other nation in the region. Each resident leaves behind roughly 1.5kg of waste every day—which is two times greater than the global average of 0.7kg. The high volume of waste generation is most likely due to the nation’s economic growth and high consumption rates.

There is a waste management system in place in Kuwait, the rate of recycling is between 1 and 14% depending on the type of waste. The remaining 86-99% of the 2 million tons of solid waste is burned or buried each year. There are some 18 registered landfills around Kuwait City, of which four are still operational. These dump sites are run in a traditional way and without following modern eco-friendly practices. As a result, toxins such as methane are known to leak from landfills—at times even causing “spontaneous fires,” according to BioEnergy Consult.