fatmah AlJassmi
Amna Almatrooshi
Zayed University
Wasseem Abaza
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The damages caused by high trans fat food are no longer limited to an individual's health, but now it damages the environment as well. Over 80,000 gallons is the estimated daily amount of F.O.G. (fat, oil, and grease) waste produced by kitchens in Dubai (Baldwin, 2018). The increase of waste has negatively affected both the economy and the environment and contributes to heart blockage in individuals. An accumulation of F.O.G. waste can cause serious medical, environmental, and economic issues.
The innovation offered by Blue LLC had successfully turned the waste into perceived value. This innovation not only creates value out of waste but also adds value to the people and the environment. Blue is one of the best examples of a successful partnership between the private and public sectors in the UAE.
Blue’s innovation is no longer limited to recycling the F.O.G (fats, oil, and grease) waste produced by the food industry; they also offer services and products with various kinds of functions such as turning food leftovers into gray water or biogas instead of going to landfills. Additional, they recycle 70% of oil waste into clean water that can be used for irrigation purposes. Even in their recycling processes, they use different technologies to eliminate waste and emissions.
Blue offers several innovative services. First, is the process of removing blockages from drain lines. They use procedures that are highly safe and innovative. Blockages can be removed by using bacteria to consume grease that is found in the drain lines in a process called “grease eradication." This natural process is a green alternative to the current process which involves using chemicals that contain poisonous substances that could ultimately pollute the environment. Another way of removing the blockages is through high-pressure wastewater. The high pressure of water generates a force that can easily remove the blockages. Again, this process is safe and eco-friendly as it removes the blockages without posing a danger to the environment.
Second, is cooking oil collection. After Blue collects the Used Cooking Oil (which is different from the F.O.G. waste that is recycled through Envirol), the oil is exported to UK and Europe through a 3rd party buyer who is certified from ISCC (carbon certification organization). All of the collected oil is recycled appropriately within their guidelines. The recycled oil is then used in biodiesel products.
Third, Blue’s innovation is also found in its products. One of the most innovative products introduced by Blue is the “Bio-Organic Catalysts”. These products provide eco-friendly hygiene and wash solutions for laundry uses. Also, Blue provides highly innovative energy-saving products such as Endo-cool; a chilled water additive used in large air conditioning processes.
Through their unique innovations, they aim to tackle more issues in the world and develop technologies that would provide unique compact solutions. That is all done by taking into consideration their ability and expertise to provide the most sustainable solutions. They also engage university students to share their innovative ideas which can lead to many effective solutions. As the environmental needs change, Blue will adapt through the development of more services and products.
Mr. Ahmad Alserkal “Chairman of Alserkal Group” is Blue's founder. He was aware of the huge negative impact of F.O.G. (Fats, Oils, and Grease) on the municipal sewage lines in Dubai. 70% of sewage blockage is caused by cooking oil. The blockage was contaminating water, ending up in the landfills and causing enormous amounts of Carbon Dioxide to be released in the air, carrying with it all kinds of pathogens. Blue has expanded its horizon to tackle more kinds of issues and waste. Mr. Ahmed Alserkal wants Blue to be an example of how the world should make a true heartfelt effort to improve the environmental conditions, tackling air, land, and water pollution, while simultaneously carrying out the activities that fill human need. Also, his goal is that Blue functions100% digitally. His vision is that Blue will be able to eventually tackle all kinds of environmental issues when it comes to commercial, industrial, and residential sectors, whether it is the collection and recycling of F.O.G. waste, eliminating the pathogens in the air, or de-contamination of our water and water bodies.
Blue is the reason why a large amount of waste is being recycled and put to good use instead of ending up in our environment. Envirol for example, has a capacity of treating 100,000 gallons of waste per day. When you think of the total impact of days, months, and years, then one could comprehend how Blue’s contribution is incredibly important to the world. It diverts large amounts of waste from landfills, to reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the air, and reduces the risks of water, and land contamination. All these things can spread pathogens that directly impact the quality of public health today. Besides, Blue’s innovation helps kitchen owners maintain a high level of hygiene in their restaurants and avoid extra fees related to water and energy. Blue's current objective is to be fully present in the GCC, and offer its services and solutions on a much larger scale. As Blue’s expertise and capabilities grow, their solutions and products will grow to create more positive change in the world. This will inspire and encourage more businesses to adopt their approach. And hopefully, to build successful partnerships that can resolve current environmental challenges.
Blue’s largest benefit on the Business itself lies with their team members. Everyone can have a job, but not everyone has the opportunity to have such a purpose. “We believe that it is such a remarkable advantage that our team members are aware of the good they are doing in the world. Their contribution makes them feel apart of something bigger, and allows them to see that they are doing much more than making a living day by day. Blue LLC is absolutely proud of that”. As a result, they have more loyal and ambitious employees who are committed to supporting Blue’s vision and goals. Also, incorporating the goal of having zero waste into Blue’s strategy has benefited the business in terms of cost and reputation.
Blue has created a social benefit through its awareness campaigns that aim to draw citizens’ attention to the negative impacts of F.O.G waste on the environment. This positively influenced people’s behaviors by encouraging them to collect used cooking oil for recycling purposes. Blue’s campaigns also targeted university students. The major advantage of targeting them is that students show a high commitment level towards Blue’s goals. As a result, Blue received important feedback and ideas that would help them work in the background to move into the front lines of protecting the environment. Simple actions can be taken to make our world a significantly better place. According to the environmental benefits, Blue’s initiative is eliminating the F.O.G waste which is a source of many pathogens. Also, this initiative promotes the quality of life for future generations.
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Omar Othman, Corporate Communications Executive
Mohammed Vaseem, Plant Operations Manager- Envirol
Blue is a joint venture that was established between Envirol and Dubai Municipality in 1991. Blue is known as the pioneer of Sustainable and Environmental Solutions targeting the root cause of F.O.G. waste (Fats, Oils & Grease) and its environmental impact in the middle east. It is the only treatment plant in the middle east which recycles this waste into water and compost. Also, it refines oil that is used for soap manufacturing and the production of biodiesel, along with multiple energy-saving products and waste management facilities. Blue's launch and current success was propelled by their mission to improve the environment.