UAE-based facilities management firm Farnek has launched WASTEK, an AI-enabled waste intelligence platform, at the Dubai Environmental Conference 2026. The system provides verified, real-time data to support net-zero and zero-waste targets, moving beyond estimated reporting. By capturing actual waste weights and locations, the platform identifies discrepancies in hauler records, improves diversion performance by up to 30%, and reduces administrative monitoring by 30 man-hours per month. WASTEK creates a closed-loop improvement cycle to enhance ESG disclosures and operational efficiency.
Speaking to delegates at the event, Muna Al Nahdi, Director of Sustainability & Consultancy at Farnek, said WASTEK takes waste management beyond estimated reporting by providing verified data, intelligence and continuous performance improvement, supporting zero waste and net-zero carbon emissions.
“WASTEK now provides accurate and traceable waste data, as the foundation for AI-driven analysis, by capturing actual waste weight, stream, location and stakeholder data.
“This validated data is then used to identify any discrepancies, including differences against waste haulers and or estimated records. By using real-time dashboards and AI-supported analysis, any performance gaps, anomalies and recurring compliance issues, can be flagged.
Waste performance between vendors, tenants, facilities, locations and waste streams can also be benchmarked. By establishing the right processes, guidelines and SOPs can be issued with training based on any gaps that are identified.
In addition, data from WASTEK and information from inspections can be used to verify whether any necessary actions are being followed and provide targeted, evidence-based feedback and corrective action. Moreover, tracking subsequent performance data can demonstrate improvement and drive continuous transformation.
“Therefore, WASTEK creates a closed-loop improvement cycle: Measure – Verify – Analyse – Benchmark – Engage – Inspect & Improve,” said Al Nahdi.
“We have witnessed up to a 30% improvement in diversion performance, through the wider WASTEK-enabled engagement process. This turns waste expenditure into a controllable cost through visible and true diversion, supporting the potential renegotiation of waste hauler contracts and measurable cost reduction.
“In one case, during our initial engagement, we found a 40% difference between a waste hauler’s reported data and WASTEK real-time onsite measurement, which clearly demonstrates the importance and potential savings with verified waste baselines.
“The platform is up to 90% accurate when recording baseline waste through real-time measurement, with 24/7 data visibility, and we have estimated that this process can save as much as 30 man hours per month in monitoring and reporting alone, compared with traditional methods,” she added.
Furthermore, the platform also reduces risk in relation to compliance and reporting, with verified, audit-ready data, that lowers exposure to regulatory penalties and inaccurate ESG disclosures. This enhances brand image and investor confidence, offering verifiable sustainability metrics that strengthen ESG ratings, investor reporting and tender credentials.
“WASTEK can also accelerate Net Zero and Zero Waste commitments with data that gives leadership a credible basis for carbon accounting and waste targets, strengthening governance and offering leadership a clear audit trail for accountability,” said Al Nahdi.
