Emirates Global Aluminium opens recycling plant after US-Iran war disruption
Key takeaways
- EGA has inaugurated its Al Taweelah aluminum recycling plant in the UAE, with an annual production capacity of 185,000 metric tons.
- The facility will process post-consumer and pre-consumer aluminum scrap into billets and T-bars.
- Commissioning was briefly paused after damage at KEZAD in March, with recycled cast metal production resuming in early May.
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has opened an aluminum recycling plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aimed at scaling the country’s low-carbon aluminum production and the circular economy.
The Al Taweelah facility is reportedly the largest of its kind in the UAE, with an annual production capacity of 185,000 metric tons. The plant can process post-consumer aluminum scrap, such as that from cans, into billets and T-bars.
“The inauguration of the Al Taweelah recycling plant is a milestone in EGA’s development of a global aluminum recycling business. This new plant turns aluminum waste generated in the UAE and elsewhere into new aluminum,” says Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO at EGA.
According to the aluminum producer, most scrap generated in the UAE is often exported for processing outside the country and is “lost to the national economy.” The recycling facility aims to offer domestic processing capacity.
EGA also blends recycled metal with primary aluminum using solar and nuclear power. The recycled products produced at the facility will be marketed under the product name RevivAL.
Production tensions
The facility began producing recycled aluminum in February, but had to stop after an Iranian attack and ballistic missile interception on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) on March 28, which caused damage to the area. Production restarted again in May.
Market disruptions, like those caused by the US-Iran war, lead to many unexpected costs in packaging supply chains. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and damaged infrastructure delayed aluminum imports, needed for can makers.
Full production capabilities of the plant are expected to take up to six months, says EGA, which is in accordance with its original timeline.
EGA acquired recycling plants in Germany and the US in 2024. In April, the aluminum producer announced it aims to acquire an 80% stake in Italy-based aluminum recycling company Eco Green. The deal remains subject to regulatory approvals.
Circular policies
At the recycling plant’s inauguration, the minister for Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, emphasized the importance of recycling as the “cornerstone” of the UAE’s Circular Economy Policy, which aims to “transform the nation into a global hub for green development.”
She adds: “Aluminum represents one of our greatest opportunities to drive this transition from linear to circular model of production. It is infinitely recyclable, protecting our ecosystems while fuelling a sustainable, low-carbon economy.”
In another effort to drive the country’s circular economy, the UAE is currently piloting an EPR. Packaging Insights spoke to Mark Siddorn, strategic planning and business performance director at Tadweer Group — the country’s producer responsibility organization — about expectations, logistics, and challenges of the EPR.
