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Kudzaishe Muhamba-Herald Reporter
THE old Pomona dumpsite in Harare North will be fenced off within the next two months as Geo-Pomona, the company that has taken it over, gets down to work.
Geo-Pomona, a subsidiary of internationally accredited firm, Geogenix BV, also intends to build internal roads, the scales and some facilities within the first three months as waste will be identified and treated under 24-hour monitoring.
Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu and Geo-Pomona officials, including Mr Delish Nguwaya, yesterday toured the site.
Minister Moyo said the project is crucial and will be beneficial to the nation.
“It took us a long time to come up with a project of this nature. We sent experts twice to take a look at how other countries manage their waste.
“This project is one we believe can be replicated by most councils, transforming waste to energy,” he said.
Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said Pomona had been a problem to the environment owing to the hazards it was contributing to.
“The partnership by the Government and Geogenix BV is coming to solve this environmental challenge that we have. The waste to energy project speaks to the vision that the President has articulated of us as a country being able to convert our trash to some sort of livelihood and employment creation, energy generation as well as many other livelihood options that will be coming out of here,” he said.
In a statement yesterday, Geo-Pomona said it will permanently solve the issue of waste in the landfill within six years but much sooner than that the old waste will have been encapsulated and buried and new waste will be used to fuel the planned power station.
“The area will also be turned into an attractive destination for local and foreign visitors. The strategic investment includes the encapsulation and sealing of the existing waste.
“There is also the construction, in compliance with European Union standards, of two new landfills, as well as the construction of a waste disposal plant, a sewage treatment plant and a waste incineration plant,” reads the statement.
Geo-Pomona said the Pomona waste to energy plant dumpsite will be similar to those built by the capital of Austria, Vienna (Spittelau) or at the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen (CopenHill).
“Nonetheless, the citizens of Harare will not have to wait six long years for the situation to change. Within the first two months, Geogenix BV will start with the encircling of the Pomona landfill and with the employing of favourable working conditions for residents who consider waste as their only possible way of making a living.
“Within the first three months, Geo-Pomona will also commence the building of internal roads as well as the construction of the scales and the facilities. This means that any waste will be identified and treated under 24-hour monitoring; in this way, the illegal dumping of waste and the risk of arson will be avoided.”
Geo-Pomona said the encapsulation of all existing waste will be completed within the first 20 months.
“In other words, the citizens of Harare will no longer have to deal with waste dumps in Pomona, as the waste will, first, go through the selection process and, then, into the landfill.
“In order to make it clear for the public, it should be noted that within 20 months, Harare will also witness another important change; smell pollution will be inconsiderable as extensive parts of Pomona will be turned into a green park that will be given to the city, in a short time,” reads the statement.
Geo-Pomona said the construction of the waste incineration plant will begin after the first 20 months.
“The incorporated technology is of modern standards, precisely the technology that is used in major European capitals, as a final solution for integrated waste management. The company will also invest in several social projects for the community.
“The high-quality technology of the plant construction will be made possible through co-operation with companies such as Franco Tosi, Siemens, ABB, Boldrocchi Group, and so on,” reads the statement.
Geo-Pomona said about 11 months ago, the country’s Supreme Court ordered the Harare City Council to find a quick and permanent solution to the landfill issue, which had turned into a serious concern for the capital’s residents.
“According to the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe, the Pomona landfill was not under the control of authorities, and, in some cases, the landfill was engulfed in flames, leading to high rates of poisoning for the residents,” reads the statement.
Geo-Pomona said among the most serious fire outbreaks includes the fire that spread across Pomona in 2016 where black smoke covered the entire city of Harare, which was also seen by satellites in space.
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