For every 1 million cell phones that are recycled, 16 kilos of copper, 350 kilos of silver, 34 kilos of gold, and 15 kilos of palladium can be recovered. Technological change is so rapid, that most electrical products are discarded before they are obsolete. By 2050, we will be on our way to producing 120 million tons of electronic waste per year! That’s equivalent to more than twice the total weight of the Great Wall of China. Alarmingly, only 20% of the world’s e-waste is collected and recycled. It is facts such as these, that lead founder Waleed Esbaitah to devote himself to Enviroserve Kuwait.
Waleed began his humble journey three years ago, running his own crowd sourcing real estate company when he came across the emancipating concept of urban mining. Simply put, urban mining is the process of recovering rare metals that are found in discarded electrical and electronic waste through mechanical and chemical treatments. He wanted to learn everything about the process: what it takes to run an e-waste operation, the outputs expected, and the current competition in the region to ensure effectiveness – and he didn’t stop there.
Esbaitah continued on researching about recycling companies in Dubai, which lead him to meeting the Chairman of Enviroserve UAE, Stuart Flemming. It was then where he saw a great potential, and decided to submit a feasibility study to the Kuwait National Fund in hopes of being supported, where he received an approval shortly after. Like most admirable systems, things began to take shape bit by bit through employing credible managers to schedule meetings and presentations, renting equipped spaces and filling them up with e-waste collections, and finally, by signing with the biggest electronic retailers worldwide to further the operation. By September 2019, enough arrangements were made to be confident in Enviroserve’s mission, and the decision to go local was made.
Enviroserve strives to provide people with the necessary resources to reduce toxic substances, prevent contamination and exploitation, cut greenhouse gases, and most importantly, to live a healthier more valuable life. We are here in hopes that as you finish reading this article on your phone, tablet, or laptop, you are able to have a look at it and ask yourself: where will this nifty piece of metal end up in a few years? Hopefully, not in your local landfill, rather, being pulled a part and repurposed to serve a new useful life.