Oman eyes $50 million investment to bolster PET waste recycling

Oman is stepping up efforts to tackle plastic pollution with plans for a major investment of up to $50 million in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste recycling. A key initiative under this push is the establishment of a modern, integrated recycling facility at the Salalah Free Zone in Dhofar Governorate, aimed at addressing the growing volumes of PET plastic that continue to end up in landfills.

The project will be developed by Next Generation Recycling Solutions on a 15,000-square-metre site and will focus on producing high-quality, hot-washed, food-grade recycled PET (rPET) flakes. These flakes, derived from cleaned and shredded PET waste, will serve as a secondary raw material for manufacturing new plastic products, particularly for food packaging and textile applications.

According to the Salalah Free Zone, the project represents a long-term investment exceeding $50 million, to be implemented in multiple phases over a 30-year period. Planned activities include expanding existing PET recycling lines, developing PET collection infrastructure across Oman, and potentially extending recycling operations to other plastic polymers such as HDPE and LDPE in the future. The initiative also seeks to leverage Salalah’s strategic location as a logistics and export hub serving European and US markets, aligning with Oman Vision 2040.

Next Generation Recycling Oman has been established through a strategic partnership with an Indonesian recycled PET producer founded in 2019. The partner supplies PET flakes and granules to global textile and food-packaging markets, contributing to reductions in plastic and microplastic pollution.

Despite growing awareness of circular economy principles, PET recycling in Oman remains limited. Most PET waste—primarily single-use bottles and food containers from households, retail outlets and the hospitality sector—continues to be disposed of through mixed municipal waste streams. While initiatives such as reverse vending machines have been introduced, nationwide segregation and recycling infrastructure remains underdeveloped.

However, momentum is building. Companies such as Green Muscat Investment and Development Company and Golden Future Recycling are investing in commercial-scale PET recycling facilities, while projects under the Ladayn Polymer Plastics Programme are strengthening the plastics recycling value chain. Together, these initiatives signal a broader shift towards sustainable waste management in line with Oman’s Net Zero ambitions.