RAKEZ secures silver at MEWAR Awards 2025 for landmark waste diversion program

UAE – Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) has strengthened its sustainability credentials after winning the Silver Award for Best Waste Diversion Initiative – Government Sector at the Middle East Waste & Recycling (MEWAR) Awards 2025.

The recognition underscores RAKEZ’s growing role in advancing circular economy practices across one of the UAE’s fastest-expanding industrial and business ecosystems.

The award reflects RAKEZ’s comprehensive waste management framework, designed to minimize landfill disposal, maximize resource recovery and embed responsible waste practices among companies operating within its zones.

Central to the framework are strict waste disposal regulations, mandatory environmental assessments for industrial applicants and ongoing awareness programs that guide businesses on waste prevention, segregation and recycling.

One of the flagship initiatives, the “My RAKEZ My Emirate” campaign, has actively encouraged tenants and employees to recycle paper, glass, plastics, metals and aluminium cans.

Since 2022, these efforts have diverted more than 1.18 million kilograms of recyclable waste from landfill, saving an estimated 27,700 cubic metres of landfill space.

Beyond conventional recycling, RAKEZ has focused on reuse and repurposing. Through engagement programs involving both companies and employees, large volumes of old equipment, furniture and office materials have been refurbished, reused or resold as recyclable scrap.

The economic zone has also prioritized water stewardship, reusing treated wastewater for landscape irrigation and saving more than nine million gallons of fresh water annually.

To make recycling more accessible, RAKEZ has rolled out dedicated recycling collection units across its industrial areas and strengthened partnerships with organizations such as the Emirates Environmental Group, linking zone-level initiatives with wider national sustainability objectives.

The environmental impact has been measurable. RAKEZ estimates its initiatives have helped preserve more than 78,000 trees, cut over 164,000 pounds of carbon emissions annually, and deliver energy savings exceeding 2.6 million kilowatt-hours.

Financially, the programs have generated more than AED 1.2 million in combined savings and revenues through recycling, reduced landfill fees and water conservation.

Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, said the award reflects a collective commitment across the ecosystem.

“This recognition is a testament to the strong engagement of our clients, partners and employees who share our vision for a cleaner, greener and more responsible industrial community,” he said, adding that the initiatives support RAK Vision 2030 and long-term economic resilience.

The recognition comes amid a broader push across the UAE to scale waste diversion and circular economy infrastructure. Recent initiatives by economic zones, municipalities and private operators have focused on higher recycling rates, industrial symbiosis and waste-to-value models.

Against this backdrop, RAKEZ’s MEWAR award positions the economic zone as a leading example of how industrial hubs can combine growth with measurable environmental performance.

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