ATHAR program witnesses a diversity of initiatives and adopts ambitious initiatives to ensure growth with best sustainability practices.
Since its inception in 2015, Mazoon Dairy has been adopting qualitative initiatives to ensure the achievement of the company’s strategic objectives, with an emphasis on reducing any possible negative impacts on the environment, as well as adopting the best modern practices in all its operations and commercial activities.
Yousuf bin Khamis Al Fazari – Corporate Affairs Manager- said “Believing in the importance of promoting the concept of sustainability and its applications in the company’s operations, Mazoon Dairy continues its activities aiming at adopting the best methods to reduce any potential impacts on the environment, as well as developing modern and innovative solutions for the efficient management of resources and waste recycling. It also continues to work actively to build strategic partnerships through (Athar) program that includes all initiatives aiming at maximizing the social and economic impact of the company”.
Al Fazari added, “the biogas production plant project, the most important step in the establishment phase, is the first plant of its kind in the Sultanate and the region. It relies on cow waste in the biogas production processes. The company also signed an agreement to convert biogas into electrical energy in cooperation with the Oman Liquefied Gas Company and Ejad Corporation, to take advantage of modern technologies in converting biogas generated from organic waste into electrical energy to be a sustainable source of renewable power.”
The Corporate Affairs Manager also indicated that the afforestation is one of the Company’s projects. It includes planting the company’s site in the Wilayat of Al-Sunaynah with about eight thousand trees as a first stage, along with ornamental trees, fruit trees, windbreaks trees, and others. However, the afforestation continues in parallel with the increase of the quantities of water extracted from the wastewater treatment plant which is used in irrigation and cleaning works. The company is yet working on increasing the green area like grassy yards, playgrounds, etc.
Regarding solid waste recycling, Mazin bin Abdullah Al Saadi – HSE Manager–, indicated that: Mazoon Dairy has embraced the solid waste recycling project by signing an agreement with the Service Company for Recycling. By adopting such projects, Mazoon Dairy seeks to recycle a percentage of 90% of its waste. This agreement is the first of its kind in the Sultanate, where the company owns spaces dedicated to sorting and classifying waste of all kinds and recycling them within its facilities. The project expands the company’s waste recycling scope to include more types and quantities of waste that goes to other activities, like plastic and solid waste as part of the Company’s social responsibility and its commitment to efficiently manage the waste generated from its operations. The recycled and reused quantities are estimated from 5 to 10 tons per day. Organic waste is transferred to the biogas production and solid waste plant for recycling. The amount of recycled plastic is about 250 tons.
Al-Saadi also highlighted the eco-friendly bags initiative by the Company during mid-2019. “Mazoon Dairy is the first company to implement the use of eco-friendly bags and to ban the use of plastic bags at its site as well as in the local community. That is, Al-Sunaynah was the first Wilayat to commit to shifting to eco-friendly bags as the Company distributed those bags in coordination with the office of the Wali of Al-Sunaynah” he said.
Al Saadi elaborated “Mazoon Dairy applies strict control over trucks to ensure lower fuel consumption, adopts the idea of using liquified gas instead of diesel fuel for boilers in the factory, and ensures continuous periodic maintenance of the fleet of vehicles”.
Besides, the initiative to recycle wood and turn it into furniture, in partnership with a local company, is a big addition to qualitative interventions in this field. The initiative aims, in its first phase, to convert waste wood into 100 pieces of furniture such as tables, chairs, and others. The Company, however, designed integrated decorations and furniture for an on-site café from the recycled wood, in addition to designing umbrellas and outdoor seating.
He added that Mazoon had taken the lead in forming a national team for the circular economy, looking into finding innovative and environmentally friendly solutions, the most important of which are currently initiatives related to water recycling, as well as the solar energy project.
