Discount purchase to encouraging recycling and collecting plastic to placing a welding machine at different retail outlets, Agthia is firm on walking the talk, Agthai’s CEO Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi tells Benjamin Daniel
Dubai: Agthia, a regional company has taken the initiative to commit itself to a plant-based PET of 5% and 10% post-consumer recycled PET by 2021. It’s a high call.
In its endeavour, it is collaborating with different entities. That includes the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, DGrade, which collect PET bottles from various Agthia location across the UAE and recycle them into textiles. “We will be donating them to several non-profit aid organisations,” says Agthai’s CEO Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi.
Al Wahedi adds, “We are building this ecosystem. We want to produce recyclable food grade product. This is a future aim we are working on. We are collaborating with the government regulatory bodies. As soon as the regulations change we will be able to import such material. Currently, we are building our process.”
Plastics – a phobia
There’s certainly a wrong notion, a certain phobia about plastic. It mostly revolves around the notion that plastic is not recyclable. “I don’t think plastic needs to be a phobia,” stresses Al Wahedi. I would say it’s being overused, but responsible companies put certain measures and to do what they are committed to in recycling plastic and preventing landfills.”
Technology had been a bottleneck but things have now evolved. Take, for example, rPet is today available, and it is time for the society to move in that direction. Let’s realise that plastic has improved lives in a very drastic way.
Al Wahedi explains that plastic is one of the elements which not only contains food but protects food as well. “Today systems are there, and it is up to us to address those issues and embrace certain decisions to deliver something green and sustainable.”
This is the message Agthia sends and is hoping to lead by example as well. “We shall lead other companies that are commercially driven; we need to go beyond commercialism and focus on sustainability because we don’t want to be taken by surprise at sudden government directives.”
Global food safety
Agthia is one of the companies which takes global food safety regulation very seriously. Its packaging materials are tested by a third party agency even before the product is launched.
“All our products are also approved by our local authorities, in Abu Dhabi at the local level and also at the GCC level from Saudi Arabia as well. We are following a national standard and also testing necessary to ensure that the product is safely reaching the market,” concluded Al Wahedi.
Agthia flags its long-term environmental, social and corporate goals at Gulfood ‘19
Agthia used Gulfood 2019 used the Gulfood platform to announce the Group’s sustainability practices and application of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards in its business operations during Gulfood 2101. His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, minister of climate change and environment, His Excellency Eng Dhafer Ayed Al Ahbabi, Agthia Group chairman, and Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi, Agthia Group CEO were all present during the announcement.
His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “We value the role of Emirati private businesses such as Agthia in supporting our national commitment towards sustainability. Through embracing sustainable production and consumption patterns across all sectors and meeting the highest environmental and efficiency standards, multiple ‘Made in UAE’ products are now winning consumers’ trust and competing in regional and global markets.”