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Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has granted a United Kingdom-registered firm — Pragma Leaf Consulting — permission to establish a $68 million waste-to-energy plant with a potential to create up to 2,000 jobs.
The proposed plant is expected to produce 110,000 litres of bio-diesel and 2.2 megawatts of electricity, according to the latest council minutes.
The BCC said the UK registered company has already finished a feasibility study for the project.
“They (Pragma) therefore, intended to establish a $68 million waste to energy plant producing 110,000 litres of bio-diesel, 2.2MW electricity and creating employment for 120 plant operatives and further jobs in downstream industries,” reads part of the council minutes.
As part of the agreement, BCC said the investor had plans to bring additional refuse removal compactors to help improve garbage collection.
The council said Pragma had also indicated that its operations would not use potable water as they would obtain and purify waste water.
Commenting on other conditions of the deal, the local authority said only five percent of waste would be delivered to the landfill thus prolonging its lifespan.
“The project should be assured of 325 tonnes of waste per day and that they would need monopoly of waste generated in Bulawayo to be certain of adequate waste supplies for their operations,” said council.
It is also believed that if operating at full capacity, an estimated 2,000 jobs would be created for refuse collectors, processors, sorters and some 120 professionals.
Additional jobs will also be created in downstream industries.
The envisaged project would convert waste to energy and distill diesel, which council would have first option to purchase at $2 per gallon or 50 cents per litre.
The project, which requires between 12 months and 18 months lead time to complete upon signing the lease agreement, would also see by-products such as slag being used for the manufacture of concrete blocks or on road construction.
While BCC also proposed a land rental of $40,000 per annum and requested the investor to submit contract documents for signing, the investor requires a waste lease of 25 to 30 years.
In the past, BCC and other city firms have been fined by the Environmental Management Agency for pollution of the environment including Umguza River.
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