Attero Recycling India to build e-scrap facilities in Middle East

A collection of companies operating in the Middle East have announced plans to jointly build and operate a collection of electronics recycling facilities in the Middle East.

The companies involved in the project include Bee’ah, a Middle East-based environmental management company; Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); Gulf Islamic Investments (GII); and Attero Recycling India. The four companies have signed an agreement to combine their collective expertise to develop a network of electronic recycling facilities in the United Arab Emirates and the surrounding region.

According to published reports, as part of the agreement, Bee’ah will make a significant investment in e-recycling with the environmental management company housing the new facility within its waste management complex.

The new venture will be called Attero-Tadwir-E.

“This agreement is a sign of Bee’ah’s commitment to collaboration with other international leaders in their respective industries and sectors. Constant technological advancements mean that older devices become obsolete at an ever-increasing rate. Therefore, the need for computer and electronic recycling is higher than ever before and will only continue to rise,” says HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Bee’ah’s group CEO. “Bee’ah, Shurooq, GII and Attero Recycling India are united in the endeavor to meet this demand.”

“Computer and electronic recycling is a preventative measure as well as a lucrative investment opportunity,” says Nitin Gupta, CEO of Attero Recycling India (AT-E) “Dangerous elements like lead, barium, polychlorinated biphenyls, beryllium, mercury, arsenic and cadmium cause various forms of cancer and other debilitating illnesses. There are also data security concerns, where electronic data lands in the wrong hands and leads to unpredictable long-term liabilities for corporate entities. “

AT-E, with the support of GII, will set up integrated recycling, refurbishing and refining facilities across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, starting with its first facility in Sharjah.

The plan calls for AT-E to have between 6-8 plants in the GCC over the next three years, and the parties are expected to invest around $200 million on building the facilities.

The facilities will use recycling technology that has been developed by Attero India. AT-E also will offer data security and data sanitation according to the most stringent global standards as well as Reverse Logistic and an E-commerce platform as a comprehensive solution to the generators of electronic waste.

E-waste generation in the GCC region is estimated to be at 600,000 metric tons in 2015, and expected to reach 900,000 metric tons in 2020.

Mohammad Al Hassan and Pankaj Gupta, founding partners and co-CEOs of GII, say, “This agreement is in line with UAE Vision 2021. The UAE Government wants to ensure sustainable development while preserving the environment and to achieve a perfect balance between economic and social development. With our support, AT-E was the first e-waste management player in the region, covering the entire process of electronic waste, from collection to on-site precious metal extraction. Working with Bee’ah and Shurooq, demonstrates the on-going commitment of prominent shareholders and investors to providing a revolutionary and risk-mitigated investment opportunity in e-recycling.”