Waste-to-energy project falls flat

LWMC launches plan to sell garbage after segregation

LAHORE:

Work on a waste-to-energy project in the provincial capital has not been started because of political instability, fluctuation in foreign exchange rates, poor planning and incomplete information.

Over the years, local officers have spent millions of rupees on foreign tours to launch the project to generate electricity and produce fertiliser from garbage, but the scheme has not materialised. According to sources in the departments concerned, eight foreign companies had expressed interest in generating energy from waste, but returned without making any commitment after observing the garbage situation in Lahore and prospects for the initiative.

The sources said officers from the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation and Waste Management Company (LWMC) had spent millions of rupees on foreign visits for the project during the past three decades.

The LWMC has been pursuing the waste-to-energy project for the past 10 years, preceded by the metropolitan corporation.

Extensive meetings have been organised after inviting local and foreign experts, while substantial expenses have been incurred on the planning. Now the incumbent officers of the LWMC have also started working on the project.

Foreign companies were invited for the project through media advertisements, which came to Pakistan express interest in the scheme.

According to the sources, when the companies’ representatives observed the garbage generated in Lahore and the dumping site amid the ongoing political instability in the country, the rising exchange rate of the dollar, they left the country after expressing lack of interest in the energy project.

As per the foreign experts, about 6,000 tonnes of garbage collected from the city contains iron, tin cans, plastic bottles, paper, cardboard, plastic and other material, but there are much more construction debris and sewage sludge. This makes electricity generation from the garbage unviable.

The experts reportedly reached the conclusion that the expenditure on the project would be high and the income very low.

Amid the situation, the LWMC management has initially started work on a project of segregation of garbage in six union councils after signing an MoU with a private firm. Initially, the GOR, Gulberg and soe other areas have been included in the scheme, which will later be expanded to other parts of the city.

When contacted, LWMC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sahib Din told The Express Tribune that several companies from China, Europe and other regions were still interested in the waste-to-energy project because the electricity rates in the country had increased manifold. The companies can earn profit if they work on the project, he added.

In response to a question, he said the objections raised by foreign companies on the quality of the garbage were also being addressed.

The CEO said the plan to sell garbage after segregation was also being implemented. “We are cutting costs as well as eliminating ghost employees. So far, about 150,000 litres of petrol has been saved and 1,000 ghost employees have been fired, from which the company will benefit to the tune of at least Rs1 billion,” he added.

Urbanisation expert Dr Nasir Javed said working on a biogas project in the city would be profitable.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2023.