Rishabh Mittal, founder of Going Green Dubai and a Year 12 student, has been honoured as ‘Recycling Hero 2025’ by the Global Recycling Foundation for his pioneering efforts in promoting accessible electronic waste recycling and sustainable practices across the Middle East.
A Dubai-based student and environmental advocate, Rishabh Mittal, has been honoured with the title of ‘Recycling Hero 2025’ by the Global Recycling Foundation. He is the sole recipient of this prestigious award from the Middle East this year, recognising his significant contributions to promoting sustainable recycling practices within the region.
Rishabh Mittal is the founder of Going Green Dubai, a youth-led non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing sustainability through community recycling initiatives. Since its establishment, Going Green Dubai has made considerable progress, recycling a total of 5,645 kilograms of electronic waste, 17,557 plastic bottles, and 1,323 kilograms of paper waste. These achievements have set a notable example for grassroots environmental efforts in the Middle East.
Speaking about the motivation behind his work, Mittal explained, “It started when I realised that recycling is something people want to do — but accessibility, especially for e-waste, is a major barrier. Old phones, chargers, cables — these are things most people have lying around, and as a tech enthusiast, I saw an opportunity to make a difference.” His recognition of the need for accessible electronic waste recycling was a catalyst for the launch of his initiative.
A key partnership in his endeavours has been with Enviroserve, a Dubai-based facility specialising in the secure recycling of various electronic devices and appliances. Mittal was impressed by their comprehensive process, which includes safe data erasure and responsible recovery of materials. “Visiting Enviroserve gave me a clear understanding of the professionalism and reliability of their operations. It built my confidence to advocate for them within the community,” he said.
Mittal’s first project involved a 14-day campaign in his Business Bay neighbourhood, during which 210 kilograms of electronic waste were collected. The initiative subsequently expanded to include his school, Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills, and the wider Innoventures Education network. One of their larger campaigns achieved the collection of 1,000 kilograms of e-waste. Mittal, currently a Year 12 student at DIA Emirates Hills, aspires to pursue Environmental Engineering at university.
Further efforts to promote recycling have involved collaboration with various stakeholders, including youth groups, schools, companies, communities, and retailers. Emaar malls such as The Springs Souk, Meadows Village, and Meadows Town Centre have placed e-waste recycling bins on-site to encourage public participation in reducing environmental impact.
The Recycling Heroes Competition, organised by the UK-based Global Recycling Foundation, recognises individuals and organisations that demonstrate outstanding commitment to recycling and sustainability. Contestants were invited from across the globe to submit short videos showcasing their impactful environmental initiatives.
Hitesh Bhagat, Principal of Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills, praised Mittal’s dedication: “Rishabh has demonstrated his dedication to sustainability since Year 9 by running multiple campaigns in school. His e-waste recycling campaigns have gained widespread support from the community which also contributed to our school being named as a top three finalist for the World’s Best School Prizes 2024 in the Environmental Action category.”
The recognition of Rishabh Mittal as Recycling Hero 2025 highlights the growing engagement of youth-led environmental initiatives in the Middle East and their role in fostering sustainable practices nationwide.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/dubai-student-helps-place-ewaste-bins-malls – Corroborates Rishabh Mittal’s recognition as ‘Recycling Hero 2025’ by the Global Recycling Foundation and his role in placing e-waste bins at Dubai malls.
- https://www.instagram.com/going.greendubai/p/DHoojyMTiHE/ – Supports the announcement of the Recycling Heroes Competition 2025 winners by the Global Recycling Foundation.
- https://www.instagram.com/going.greendubai/p/DIhHHMoyEB-/ – Confirms Rishabh Mittal’s affiliation with Going Green Dubai and his recognition as a Recycling Hero 2025 recipient.
- https://ruslom.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dl12thimrc2025-1.pdf – Though this document does not directly mention Rishabh Mittal’s specific recycling initiatives, it provides context about recycling industry participation in 2025, including entities like the Bureau of Middle East Recycling in the UAE.
- https://www.instagram.com/going.greendubai/ – This URL (assuming it’s the main page) would provide direct evidence of Rishabh Mittal’s organization and its environmental campaigns, though specific content cannot be verified from provided snippets.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative references the ‘Recycling Hero 2025’ award and mentions events and recognitions spanning up to 2024 and early 2025, consistent with current dates. No indication of recycled or outdated content was found.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Direct quotes from Rishabh Mittal and Hitesh Bhagat are included. No prior online references of these quotes were found, suggesting originality or first publication here, which supports authenticity.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The content appears likely to originate from a local or regional news or press release channel rather than a major international media outlet. The named organisations (Global Recycling Foundation, Going Green Dubai) are credible but the narrative’s provenance lacks confirmation from top-tier media, limiting certainty.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
Claims about a youth-driven recycling initiative in Dubai and award recognition by an established UK-based Recycling Foundation are credible and plausible. The described partnerships, waste quantities, and local endorsements align with known community environmental efforts.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is timely and relates to an award for 2025, with original quotes and plausible claims about youth-led sustainability projects. While the narrative likely stems from a regional source rather than a major international outlet, the credibility of named organisations and detail consistency supports a high confidence in accuracy.
