SAHIWAL: The first-ever plant for segregation, treatment and disposal for municipal solid waste (MSW) in Sahiwal will be handed over to the municipal corporation on Dec 31 to be made functional.

It’s a part of Rs390m investment that started seven years back as a joint venture of the local government department and Urban Unit. Although the project was completed in 2022, the plant got operational at ‘pilot stage’ in July 2023. Ironically, it took two years to develop the method for management and functionality of the plant which would be operated and monitored jointly by the Urban Unit and Sahiwal MC as the project engineer would be deputed by the Urban Unit while the sub-engineer would be from the MC Sahiwal.

According to reports, the plant at its pilot stage is recycling 35-40 tonne waste daily in one shift. Going at this rate, the Urban Unit estimates that the revenue from sale of recyclables and compost in operational time would be Rs5.76m which would be over Rs8.2m when the plant would process 50 tonne waste daily. The plant has the capacity of processing 200 tonne solid waste in full operational mode.

Experts say the plant spread over 25 acres has sorting and composting facilities, a windrow pad, leachate pond, weighbridge, vehicle workshop, admin and sanitary worker rooms, machinery and vehicle parking areas, watch towers and a vehicle tyre wash ramp. The facility has a ‘Solid Waste Management Academy’ on the premises where MC staff will be given on-job training. Sources said the initial estimate of the plant was Rs148.69m but later its cost increased to Rs394.43m.

Every day, 140 tonne solid waste is collected and dumped at the banks of Lower Bari Doab Canal, Jhal Road by MC staff as there is no dumping site in Sahiwal. The plant has capacity to recycle and make composite fertilizer with 200 tonnes of waste. Studies show composition of the municipal solid waste mainly consists of organic/kitchen waste, which is about 52pc of the total waste. That organic waste is sorted and converted into organic compost through the windrow method. This whole process of compost manufacturing requires three months’ duration.

The data shows that among total waste, around 13pc of waste consists of recoverable items and it consists of 50pc polythene bags, 20pc textile/cloth, 10pc plastic and 6.5pc wrapper waste while the remaining items are paper, metal, glass and bones.

Sources added that chemical testing of compost is performed by the Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, agriculture department, and it is declared ‘fit’ for agriculture.

The Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI) Faisalabad performed Sahiwal organic compost trials on maize crop in 2023 in Gojra, Kamalia, Toba Tek Singh and Sahiwal areas on farmers land. They recommended the Sahiwal compost has great potential to reduce the need of chemical fertilizers by half. This initiative can support the agriculture department towards climate smart agricultural practices in Sahiwal with its potential to replicate in other districts based on the waste composition of the municipality.

The registration of the organic compost of Sahiwal is in process with Punjab Agriculture Department for its distribution and sale in the market.

Asif Iqbal, a solid waste management specialist, Urban Unit, says the plant’s operations such as segregation of recyclables and organic compost manufacturing has direct impact on climate change mitigation. He says the greenhouse gas emissions saved from compost manufacturing and recovery of recyclables would pave the way towards sustainable development goals 11, 12 and 13 of the United Nations.

Experts say the benefits of Sahiwal facility are that it is saving landfill cost and reducing surface and groundwater pollution.

Commissioner Shoaib Iqbal says that saving on landfill handling cost (indirect saving on 60pc waste diversion) is about Rs1.4m per month and it will also sustain the local ecosystem, biodiversity and habitat.

Pakistan has been given a target under the National Determined Contributors (NDCs) to reduce CO2 emissions and this plant will reduce the emissions by 1.3 million kg of CO2 per month. The segregated waste, polythene, plastic, paper etc can be used as a substitute for coal.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2024