DUBAI (UAE) - Arab States of the Persian Gulf recycle less than 10% of plastic. Expert Kaunain Shahidi stated this on the Al Arabiya website; he will be one of the speakers at the Gulf Packaging & Polymers Show (GPPS), which will be held in Dubai from 1 to 3 February 2016 with the aim of clarifying the challenges and future opportunities for the packaging industry in the Middle East.
The gap with European Countries
A recent report by the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organizations (EPRO) reveals that in 2014 member States of the European Union recycled 36.5% of the 15.9 million tons of the total plastic packaging refuse. Alexander Heuff, director of the meeting, stated: "This is a sector that is worth 41 billion dollars, but the attention of stakeholders, governments and consumers is still growing, as further investments are made in the entire packaging sector. GPPS is the ideal platform to examine and analyse possible solutions in line with development in this sector".
Backwardness and opportunity in the Middle East
Kaunain Shahidi explained: "Our industry plays a significant role in contributing to the volume of plastic materials on the market and it is not conceivable that less than 10% of the plastic used in the Persian Gulf region is recycled. Developing eco-compatible materials and investing in new technologies must be a shared responsibility, involving communication with end users and highlighting the importance of reducing consumption and promoting local and regional recycling initiatives". Amongst the issues that will be discussed in the two-day meeting in Dubai, there are also the recent developments in intelligent label packaging and the progress made in tracking technologies.
