Free doorstep recycling service expands to Dubai

RECAPP launched in November 2020 in Abu Dhabi

Some residents of Dubai can now schedule pick-ups for recyclable materials at their convenience. Photo: RECAPP

A new recycling service that offers a free pickup service from your home is now available to some residents of Dubai.

The company, called RECAPP, was previously only on offer to people in Abu Dhabi, but due to strong demand it is expanding services to its neighbouring emirate.

The door-to-door pickup service of recyclable materials can be scheduled on the Go RECAPP app and is free.

People must segregate their recyclables from household waste and schedule a pickup time. The items are then transported to a warehouse in Al Quoz where they are separated and baled — which is when they are compacted into hay-bale style blocks.

The warehouse has the capacity to segregate around one tonne of material daily.

“We are thrilled to bring RECAPP to Dubai after achieving tremendous results in Abu Dhabi, where we have empowered thousands of residents to take up recycling by providing a free, accessible, convenient service,” said general manager Jérôme Viricel.

“Launching RECAPP in Dubai will enable us to significantly expand our base of recyclers, furthering our mission of supporting local communities as they strive to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.”

Using the service will also earn residents points that they can redeem at selected outlets.

However, the whole of Dubai is not yet covered by the service.

At this stage, only residents in Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah, Business Bay/Downtown, Al Barsha, MBRM City — District One — Meydan, Arabian Ranches 1, and Springs/Meadows/The Lakes can schedule a pickup service.

Since its launch in November 2020, RECAPP has registered 15,000 users in the capital and collected 150 tonnes of recyclables, including plastic bottles and aluminium cans.

The UAE has made several moves recently to limit its effect on climate change.

Last week, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi pledged to ban single-use plastic bags by the end of 2022.

Meanwhile, Emirates Global Aluminium, the UAE’s largest industrial conglomerate outside the country’s oil and gas sector, said it plans to build an aluminium recycling plant with a capacity of 150,000 tonnes per year ― as it looks to decarbonise its operations.

The plant will be its first aluminium recycling centre and the biggest in the UAE, the company said.

The UAE will host CoP28 in 2023, which is expected to welcome around 120 world leaders and more than 40,000 participants.

Recycling in the UAE: in pictures