be’ah inks MoU with Oman Cement Company

Muscat: Omani Environment Services Holding Company (be’ah) and Oman Cement Company today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to use Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) as an alternative fuel in cement manufacturing.

Signing the MoU comes within the framework of Oman Sustainability Week, which is held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) from March 12 to 16.
The MoU was signed by Eng. Tariq Ali Al Amri, CEO of be'ah, and Eng. Salem Abdullah Al Hajri, CEO of Oman Cement Company.

The signing of the memorandum is in line with be'ah's strategy to divert municipal solid waste from landfills through sustainable waste management practices and material and energy recovery applications in a bid to increase in-country value and reduce landfilling. The project will utilise an additional alternative fuel in the cement manufacturing process, replacing natural gas, and increasing cement production.

Refuse-derived fuel is produced utilising municipal solid waste, consisting of different streams of waste, including non-recyclable plastic and paper waste, wood chips and sawdust, and other mixed combustible waste.

Moreover, be’ah signed a research agreement with Sohar University aimed to develop a database on the amount of waste generated in Oman. This agreement was signed by Kumail Ahmed Al Lawati, be'ah's Vice President for Business Development and Prof. Hamza Idris, Sohar University's Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

As per this agreement, the research team at Sohar University will be tasked with developing a database for electrical and electronic devices in homes, companies, commercial buildings, and industrial areas and dismantling the waste devices. The team will also determine the amount of this type of waste in the Sultanate of Oman and identify current disposal methods to facilitate the establishment of an effective system for managing electrical and electronic equipment waste and support the development of the recycling sector.