MUSCAT: Omani Environment Services Holding Company (be’ah) and Oman Cement Company signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to use fuel derived from municipal solid waste treatment as an alternative fuel for cement manufacturing.

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 convert municipal solid waste from landfills through sustainable waste management practices. It is also part of the material and energy recovery process to enhance local value-added initiatives and reduce waste disposal costs. The project also aims to introduce alternative fuel types in the cement manufacturing process, instead of relying on gas, to boost production.

The fuel derived from municipal solid waste consists of different types of municipal waste, such as non-recyclable plastic and paper waste, wood chips and sawdust, and other mixed and combustible processed waste according to the required specifications.

be’ah also signed a research agreement with Sohar University aimed at finding ways to utilize electronic waste and develop a database on the amount of waste generated in the Sultanate of 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. The team will also determine the amount of similar waste in the Sultanate of Oman and current disposal methods in order to facilitate the establishment of an effective system for managing electrical and electronic equipment waste and support the development of the recycling sector.