Haneen Naamani

Jordanian e-waste pioneer creating circular economies in the Middle East

Haneen Naamani is a Jordanian environmental scientist leading the Middle East's first e-waste recycling initiative. In 2021, she founded Waste4Change, a nonprofit diverting 90% of Amman's electronic waste from landfills. Her organization pioneered the region's first e-waste certification program, training over 500 technicians in safe disassembly practices. Naamani's 2023 invention - the EcoBot - uses AI to identify recyclable components in discarded electronics, increasing recovery rates by 35%. This technology has been adopted by UAE's National Waste Management Authority. Her 2022 documentary 'Toxic Tech: The Hidden Cost of Progress' exposed the region's e-waste crisis, leading to new legislation in Lebanon and Palestine. Naamani's partnership with Stanford University's Precourt Institute has developed a blockchain system tracking e-waste supply chains, now used by 15 international corporations. She's also behind the Girls in Green Tech program, which has trained 2000+ young women across Arab countries in sustainable practices. Featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 (2024), her work is showcased at the Dubai Expo 2025 sustainability pavilion. Recent innovations include biodegradable circuit boards made from date palm fibers, a breakthrough highlighted in Nature Sustainability journal.