Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter ex-China, said the construction work is in full swing on its Spent Pot Lining (SPL) treatment plant, a first-of-its-kind facility in the GCC and Middle East region.

 

Construction work began last year on the SPL treatment plant, which is being built over a 26,000-sq-m area. The project has achieved a 42 per cent completion rate clocking more than 178,000 safe working-hours without any loss time injury (LTI) to-date.

 

The Alba treatment plant, which is expected to start up by Q2 next year, will boast an annual capacity of 35,000 tonnes of SPL.

 

Alba said officials from Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism (MOICT) paid an inspection visit to the construction site of the plant.

 

Alba’s CEO Ali Al Baqali led team comprising SCE Chief Executive Officer Dr Mohammed bin Dainah, and Undersecretary for Commerce Affairs at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Eman Ahmed Al Doseri and other officials from Alba, MOICT, and SCE.

 

This project is in line with Bahrain’s National Waste Management Strategy led by Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Personal Representative of His Majesty King of Bahrain and President of the Supreme Council for Environment, remarked Al Baqali. 

 

The project will provide a value-creating and sustainable solution to treat SPL with ensuring zero-waste, he added.

 

On the project's progress, Al Baqali said: "We are pleased with the progress achieved so far as that will bring us closer to realise our vision in setting the benchmark in terms of sustainability and waste management."

 

Dr Bin Dainah, while lauding Alba for the efficiency levels adopted in this project, said: "SCE is proud to have such partnership with the aluminium giant, which has resulted into this key strategic project that underlines the kingdom’s efforts towards achieving sustainable development goals."

 

"Bahrain is about to become home to the first plant in the region to treat this type of waste. This reaffirms the kingdom’s reputation as one of the leading countries to achieve balance between increased production and environment-friendly processes, in addition to having the largest smelter in the world ex-China, which is a source of pride for the entire nation," he stated. 

 

"Transforming 100% of the treated SPL to raw materials for other industries in Bahrain will enhance the success of this project, and we shall all collaborate towards achieving this goal," he noted.

 

Al Doseri said the MOICT was committed to supporting local companies in developing the industrial sector in Bahrain, which will in turn increase their contribution to the GDP. 

 

"This is achieved through facilitating the development projects and adopting the most advanced technologies in order to enhance their productivity and set the example in terms of sustainable and environment-friendly initiatives," he added.-Tradearabia News Service