Green Mountains, a leading commercial waste management company in Abu Dhabi, is all set to commission its Used Engine Oil Recycling Plant. The company, operating since 1985, specialises in hazardous and non-hazardous waste collection & treatment and disposal of both liquid and solid waste materials. It is now venturing into recycling services to support UAE’s commitments towards a circular economy and net zero carbon emissions. The Used Engine Oil Recycling Plant is the first of the many projects under this mission. It is also part of Green Mountains’ major expansion and relocation plan for the hazardous liquid effluent treatment plant, which is under construction at Eco Park on Hameem Road, Abu Dhabi. 

The Used Engine Oil Recycling Plant will be capable of processing 22.5 tonnes of used oil per day.  Thermal distillation method will be employed to separate each component of used oil and recycle it into base oil.  The unit will produce high quality base oil – with flash point greater than 200 degree C – along with certain light oil. Base oil is used as the raw material for manufacturing engine oil.  The unit is equipped with state-of-the-art emission and odour control systems.   This engine oil recycling plant will be shifted to Eco Park in line with Tadweer’s plan to make it a hub of waste processing. 

Further, the current oil recycling unit will be added with a fuel oil processing unit by mid-2023 to enhance its capacity to receive emulsified oily sludge from marine industry. Being a long-standing service provider to the ports in Abu Dhabi, the upgrade will help both Green Mountains and the ports to increase their capabilities to render port reception facilities in the Emirate. 

Expansion and relocation plans

Green Mountains is also currently working on the expansion and relocation of its effluent treatment facility from Mussafah to Eco Park. The Mussafah plant has been in service for the past 12 years, but the growth and demand in Abu Dhabi has surpassed its capacity.  Thus, the new plant will have four times the capacity of the current plant, handling 300m3 / shift from the current 100 m3/shift.  Equipped with MBR, DAF, Neutralization Unit RO, Evaporators, etc, it is capable of handling even those waste streams which are currently not undertaken.

Talking about these new developments, Hussain Mohamed Al Mudhafari, Managing Director of Green Mountains, said that company has been a leader in industrial waste solution especially wastewater and oily waste treatment. “The new plant was commissioned recognising our expansion plan in used oil recycling and to honour the company’s commitment of contributing towards a circular economy. With this new venture, Green Mountains becomes one of the few companies that have been accredited by the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre, Tadweer, to recycle used engine oil in the Emirate,” he added. 

Constantly evolving 

Breaking new grounds has been at the core of Green Mountains Environment and Transport Establishment (GMET). The family-owned company, with a humble beginning offering transportation services, has carved a niche for itself in the waste management sector, besides making significant strides in industrial cleaning and onsite environmental services. GMET now has over five companies under its belt from trading, waste collection to treatment and landfilling. 

A pioneer in waste management, it provides end-to-end solutions, including collection, transportation, disposal and treatment of liquid and solid waste. Its services also include provision of suitable bins, assigning suitable waste collection trucks and disposal at Tadweer approved sites in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Western Region. Besides municipal and commercial waste management, it also offers construction waste management services as per Estidama guidelines and specialised services in the oil and gas sector as per ADNOC standards. 

Green Mountains established the first contaminated water treatment system in Abu Dhabi in 2008 and since offers impressive services in oil contaminated water treatment and chemical contaminated water treatment in Abu Dhabi, handling acid waste, caustic waste, contaminated stormwater, grease trap waste, oily water and sludge, septic waste, solvents and trade waste. 

What’s in the pipeline? 

Speaking to Waste & Recycling MEA magazine, Yasir Bin Taiyab, Technical and Business Development Manager of Green Mountains,  said, “We aspire to contribute towards the UAE government’s environmental commitments. We are working on a few more industrial waste recycling projects which are at different stages of development.  We are also focusing on niche environmental services such as Industrial Tank Cleaning and Site Decontamination. We are well placed to welcome  a brighter 2023.”