Gulf countries have some of the world’s highest rates of food waste. In the UAE, for example, nearly 38 per cent of the food prepared daily goes into the bin, at the cost of AED 13 billion a year. Meanwhile, during Ramadan, this food wastage skyrockets to 60 per cent.
This troubling statistic reveals a pervasive issue in a country that imports between 80 and 90 per cent of its food. Of course, this is not just a blow from a financial perspective but also a food security risk, a waste of water and energy, and an environmental blight.
The scale of food waste in the UAE means that the country’s food waste carbon footprint is equivalent to that of around one million cars, with its main emitter, methane. This greenhouse gas is over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in our atmosphere.
As such, tackling food waste is crucial in our battle against both climate change and food insecurity.
Ecyclex was founded in 2012 with the aim of tackling e-waste, guided by circular principles. Since then, in line with our core philosophy, we’ve expanded our focus to include a range of non-sufficiently addressed waste streams, including food and organic waste.
This is one of the most pressing issues facing the UAE and one that was in the spotlight at the recently concluded COP28, held in Dubai.
Indeed, the climate summit saw the unveiling of the “Waste to Zero” initiative, which is targeted at waste decarbonisation.
This global initiative sits alongside localised initiatives such as the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative: ne’ma.
To take action on food waste and facilitate regional impact, Ecyclex has partnered with ne’ma via its ReLoop Zero Food Waste to Landfill Program.
The program, currently focusing on hospitality and events, aims to assist the hospitality industry in tackling its big food waste problem.
Underlining the importance of partnership, in conjunction with ne’ma, and ReLoop, Ecyclex’s recycling app, UAE Food Bank, launched this initiative to distribute three million meals and achieve zero food waste during Ramadan.
This initiative saw all plated leftover food diverted to compost and all fresh buffet food donated.
Through this initiative, in Ramadan 2023, ReLoop supported the recycling of over 301,000 kg of food waste within a single month by working with 50 plus hotels in the UAE to turn food waste into compost, an increase of 40 per cent of participation from Ramadan 2022’s initiative.
Of course, when it comes to food waste, awareness is half the battle, and so alongside these collaborative efforts targeted at the hospitality industry, we’re also facilitating knowledge-sharing on food waste.
Reloop has teamed up with The Climate Tribe, a UAE-based social enterprise aimed at inspiring climate action through storytelling, community engagement and radical collaboration.
Through this partnership, we’ve brought communities together by hosting engaging workshops related to sustainability and recycling, including sessions on both food waste and composting.
In the same vein, believing in the power of people to drive forward climate action, ReLoop and Ma’an, Abu Dhabi’s Authority of Social Contribution, have partnered to launch “ReFarm”.
“ReFarm” is a circular concept for food in urban areas, where neighbourhoods can leverage their food waste internally to create compost and build an urban farm to grow organic fruits and vegetables.
Two schools have been selected to participate in the pilot, bringing together more than 2,000 students and staff.
Soil health is critical for crop growth, especially in the UAE, where desertification and land degradation are growing concerns as the climate crisis intensifies. Composting not only enriches soil health and crop productivity but also reduces the need for harmful fertilisers.
At ReLoop, we believe that such initiatives play a key role in securing a more circular future, where waste is seen as a resource that can contribute to greater sustainability and food security.
Small changes can have a big impact, and shifting the way that we think about waste is a huge step towards a fully realised circular economy.
Ultimately, innovation, partnership, best practices and new technologies are all steps that forge the path to a sustainable and net-zero world and the much-needed transformation of our food systems.
With the curtain drawn on COP28 and a re-energised focus on food and waste, there’s never been a better time to come together to make a change. Let’s close the loop together.
By Youssef Chehade, Managing Partner & Co-Founder Ecyclex and ReLoop App.