New business model to tackle palm waste

ABU DHABI / Emirates Business

Using innovative technology to recycle palm tree waste into high quality wooden board products made locally, Talah Board’s sustainable business model can contribute to the reduction of wooden board imports to the UAE. In 2015,
the UAE imported around 1.25
million cubic metres of wooden board products at a total cost of AED 1.6 billion.
Equipped with a number of patents, the company’s factory in KIZAD has the capacity to produce 75,000 m3 of wooden board annually. The UAE alone generates more than 500,000 tonnes of palm waste annually of which Talah Board anticipates a requirement of roughly 10% to meet the factory’s production capacity. Talah Board is attending the upcoming Liwa Date Festival this year to spread awareness on the environmental and economic sustainability of recycling palm waste to the date palm industry.
Hatem Farah, Chairman of Talah Board said: “Talah Board’s business supports the UAE Vision 2021 and the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030. By sourcing our raw materials locally and manufacturing locally, we are contributing to a circular economy through sustainable resource recovery. Our business model is one in which there is a ‘triple bottom line’- meaning that there is benefit in three major aspects of sustainability: economic, environmental, and community.”
The durability and strength of the fibers in palm tree waste (fronds and fruit stems) are both an industrial benefit and an environmental hindrance to the country. Dried palm waste typically gets sent to landfills or is composted where it can take a long time to biodegrade. Although an illegal practice, in some cases the palm waste gets burned. Burning, aside from the illegality, is hazardous for the environment and creates a health and safety burden for agricultural businesses. In terms of industrial benefit, Farah realized the inherent structural value and durability of palm tree waste and developed the Talah Board concept to serve the local and regional markets. Employing the services of Germany-based BINOS, GmbH, a leading plant manufacturing company for the panel board industry, the required technology was developed. The wooden boards are relevant for a variety of industries including: interiors, furniture, and the construction industry.
“As a longtime resident in the UAE, I am proud of Talah Board’s participation at the Liwa Date Festival. Partnering with the UAE community, we are demonstrating how we can bring modern day economic relevance to the tradition and heritage of living off the date palm,” continued Mr. Farah.
Every year, the festival hosts many companies related to the date palm industry that set up stands to display their products and services, and interact with farm owners and visitors of different nationalities. The festival has kept the date palm tradition flourishing in the country for more than a decade by organizing annual exhibitions and competitions that embrace Emirati culture and heritage.
This year the exhibition is spread over 20,000 square metres in the Liwa Oasis, Abu Dhabi. The event will have a souq for vendors to sell their handicrafts and products. The Liwa Date Festival has become increasingly popular over the years and is a tourist destination. The festival runs from 20th to 30th July and it is open from 4pm to 10pm.