A RECYCLING unit and an ‘eco-park’ will be set up at the country’s conventional landfill site in Askar.
This is in addition to adopting a new state-of-the-art waste management programme that will work to generate alternative energy from waste at the Hafeera landfill.
These are part of a key three-year agreement signed yesterday between the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry and Spanish waste management firm Urbaser.
Agreement
Under the BD4.8 million agreement, Urbaser will take full control of landfill operations later this year and ensure its security, monitor air quality, control emissions and take into account quantity of waste.
“This three-year contract will help reduce management cost and ensure proper waste management using latest technology that protects the environment,” said Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf.
“The company has been awarded the tender during which it will manage the landfill, fence the site, monitor air quality and emission control and take into account the quantity of waste received daily in the landfill.”
He said Bahrain’s National Waste Management Strategy includes waste sorting, recycling, proper disposal of construction waste, a new landfill site and the Waste Management Centre (Estidama).
He added that a waste control unit will also be set up to ensure its compliance with health and environmental standards.
Mr Khalaf also explained that automated sorting of the waste will be done at the site, which will then be recycled.
He said in a statement issued yesterday that domestic waste will also be sorted and recycled at the site which will extend the life of the landfill and ensure better utilisation of the site.
“We have allocated part of the area as part of the project for a recycling unit to produce clean energy,” he added.
“The company that is awarded the tender has managed more than 70 landfills globally and adopts best international practices.”
Urbaser Bahrain’s general manager Luis Manuel de la Campa, who signed the agreement with Municipalities Affairs Under-Secretary Dr Nabeel Abu Al Fateh, said the development project also includes the creation of an eco-park.
“The company will take control of reception, weighing and registration of the waste coming to the landfill as well as two automated weighing machines will be set up to measure the volume of daily waste at the site,” he added.
Services
The firm already provides waste management services for the Northern and Southern governorates.
Meanwhile, Southern Municipal Council chairman Bader Al Tamimi yesterday welcomed the plans to develop the landfill – adding that it will help reduce violations.
“By signing this agreement the government has tapped into a potential area that could generate money,” he said.
“We are also optimistic this will end violations as many people steal waste from the landfill.”
The Hafeera landfill in Askar currently receives 1.77 million tonnes of waste per year.
Per day Bahrain generates 5,500 tonnes of municipal waste, seven tonnes of healthcare waste and 380 tonnes of industrial waste.
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