PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Tuesday approved a proposal to convert municipal waste into fuel under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
He directed that the unsolicited proposal submitted by a private company be floated in the market to ensure transparency and competitive process. While chairing a meeting of the Public Private Partnership Committee, he said that the conversion of waste-to-energy initiative would lay the foundation for a modern and sustainable waste management system in Peshawar.
He added that the project would help reduce reliance on imported coal for the cement industry, save foreign exchange, and create employment opportunities for the people. “This initiative will not only benefit the environment but also contribute positively to the economy,” he said, adding that additional economic gains could be achieved through carbon credits and its industrial utilization. During the briefing, it was informed that Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) produced from waste would be used as an alternative to coal in the cement industry.
Under the project, material recovery and processing facilities and other required infrastructure will be established at the Shamshatoo landfill site in Peshawar. The meeting was told that the project would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote environmentally friendly waste management practices, and decrease waste accumulation at landfill sites, leading to overall environmental improvement.
Participants were informed that, after its successful implementation in Peshawar, the project would be expanded to other divisional headquarters across the province. Provincial Minister for Finance Muzammil Aslam, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, administrative secretaries of relevant departments, and other members of the PPP Committee attended the meeting via video link.
