Turning waste into energy

The government is going to generate 36-megawatt electricity from solid waste collected from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) areas.

"A process in this regard is at a final stage. We will be able to get 36 megawatt power using the waste after processing it," State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid told The Daily Star last week.

DNCC is providing land for the project, a Chinese company (Chinese Machinery Engineering Company Limited or CMEC) is the investor while the ministry will purchase the electricity, he said.

Among 17 companies, they have chosen the Chinese company as they found it to be technically and financially viable, said Nasrul. Around 36-megawatt electricity will be generated using around 3,000 tonnes of waste collected from the DNCC areas.

He said they are also initiating another project in Narayanganj, where a company has already been selected through tender. Narayanganj City Corporation is providing land for the project. At the plant, 5 megawatts of electricity will be generated from waste, the state minister said.

As the volume of waste in Narayanganj is less in comparison to that generated in the capital, the amount of electricity generation will also be less, he added.

"We also have undertaken a similar plan in Dhaka South City Corporation areas. A negotiation in this regard is ongoing," he said. The state minister said they also have a plan to start the process in Gazipur.

Responding to a question on air pollution, Nasrul said along with the selected company they will make sure that less carbon dioxide is emitted during power generation.

On plastic pollution, the state minister said in Germany, for using plastic items a consumer has to give green tax to the city mayor. As a result, people are being discouraged to use plastic items in restaurants or other places, he said. Residents also re-use bags, he said.

There, people also sort waste at source, means at home. It does not happen in Bangladesh, he added. "I have already spoken to DNCC officials in this regard," he said.

Asked, DNCC Chief Waste Management Officer Commodore Saidur Rahman said as their existing landfill at Amin Bazar has almost been filled up, they are going to set up another one next to it.

A DPP for 80 acres of land has already been approved, he added. "We will provide 30 acres of land to the company to use it for 25 years to set up a plant to generate power from waste," he said.

They will provide all the waste generated every day in DNCC areas, Saidur said. The company will then sort the waste at the landfill, he said.

Saidur said they will provide 2,500 to 3,000 tonnes of waste every day. "This will also help us reduce open disposal of waste and keep the city and environment clean," he said.

As waste volume will decrease to one-third due to the initiative, dumping areas will also be reduced gradually, the chief waste management officer said.