Page 88 - Sparklo PR Report - April 2025

Press Release

EAD’s Bottle Return Scheme Drives Record Recycling Success with Sparklo

Sparklo Collected Over 23 million Recyclables in 2024

Abu Dhabi, April 30, 2025: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the largest

environmental regulator in the Middle East, has made remarkable strides in its commitment

to sustainability through the Abu Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy. As part of this initiative, the
EAD-led Bottle Return Scheme, launched in 2023, has seen unprecedented success in
recovering more than 2,000 tonnes of bottles. The scheme has significantly advanced

recycling efforts across the Emirate, empowering residents to adopt responsible waste

disposal habits.

The Agency has collaborated with several partners from the retail industry, waste operators
and cleantech providers and, with EAD’s strategic oversight, Sparklo, a cleantech leader, has

deployed more than 100 Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs), known as Sparklomats, across
Abu Dhabi offering convenient return access points for plastic bottles and aluminium cans.

As a direct result of this initiative, an impressive 23 million recyclables were collected in 2024

alone, including over 544,000 kilograms of plastic and 18,000 kilograms of aluminium. The
cumulative impact of this initiative has prevented over 3.5 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions,

aligning with Abu Dhabi’s ambitious goal of a 22 per cent carbon emissions reduction by 2027.
In a single-day milestone, one Sparklomat processed more than 8,500 items, setting a record

for individual unit performance.

Commenting on these results, Sheikha Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the

Integrated Environmental Planning and Policy Sector at EAD, said: “We seek to integrate
sustainability practices into daily life in the Emirate. The EAD-led Bottle Return Scheme, held

in collaboration with private sector organisations, including Sparklo, embodies the importance
of partnerships, technology, and community engagement in creating a sustainable

environmental impact. This initiative, with its objectives, represents a strategic investment
that consolidates the concept of environmental responsibility. By supporting the principles of