By; Bakinam Khaled

BEEAH Group, the sustainability pioneer and digital expert in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Atkins, the leading global design, engineering and project management consultancy and a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, to enhance collaboration between the two organizations in the delivery of projects relating to the off-site treatment of radioactive waste produced by nuclear facilities in the UAE and the wider MENA region.

As part of the JDA, Atkins will work with BEEAH Group on identifying market opportunities for developing radioactive waste disposal facilities, ranging from thermal treatment, size reduction, decontamination, assessment and disposal.

The agreement signing ceremony was held at the World Utilities Congress, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and was attended by Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BEEAH Group, David Haboubi, Head of Nuclear and Net Zero Energy, Middle East and Africa, Atkins, Matthew Tribe, Managing Director, Planning, Design and Engineering, Middle East & Africa, Atkins, Simon Penney, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for the Middle East, Robert Bricker, Country Director, Department for Business and Trade, British Embassy, UAE, and other senior representatives from BEEAH Group, Atkins and the British Embassy in the UAE.

“As a sustainability pioneer in the Middle East, BEEAH Group is committed to developing integrated waste management strategies to transform businesses and industries.

Driven by our principle of zero-waste, we aim to work relentlessly towards total landfill waste diversion. Nuclear power is a key part of the UAE’s energy diversification strategy and net-zero emissions strategic initiative. In partnership with Atkins, we are proud to begin working on integrated waste management solutions for the nuclear power industry and, in turn, support the national sustainability agenda,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group.

“As a global leader in nuclear power end-to-end engineering and project management services, Atkins helps clients around the world safely treat nuclear waste and secure widespread environmental benefits,” added David Haboubi, Head of Nuclear and Net Zero Energy, Middle East and Africa, Atkins. “We are proud to collaborate with BEEAH and bring our global expertise and regional knowledge, underpinned by digital solutions, to support the UAE’s long-term radioactive waste management strategy and goals in line with the highest quality, safety, and international environmental standards.”

His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner Simon Penney said: “This announcement demonstrates the strength of the relationship between the UK and the UAE in sustainable waste management. I congratulate both Atkins and BEEAH on this collaboration, the benefits of which will reach across the MENA region.”

Founded in 2007, BEEAH Group is a Sharjah-based public-private partnership organization dedicated to pioneering a sustainable quality of life in the UAE and the region. Bringing together sustainability and digitalization, the organization has utilized future technologies to create end-to-end waste management value chains. Its integrated waste management strategies have led to a 90 percent landfill waste diversion rate in Sharjah alone, setting a record in the Middle East. BEEAH Group has also diversified into industries that are critical to shaping a sustainable future, including renewable energy, technology, environmental consulting, education, transport, real estate, and healthcare.

The SNC-Lavalin Group, including Atkins, has been developing and licensing nuclear technology for more than six decades, supported by a deep technical knowledge of global policy and regulatory frameworks. Underpinned by a comprehensive Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio of hundreds of patents, the company has an extensive offering of waste management technologies that resolve challenges throughout the nuclear lifecycle including characterization, treatment, immobilization, packaging, storing and disposal to safely manage its nuclear liabilities and protect the environment.