About 3,000 tonnes of solid domestic waste is collected and disposed of daily across Qatar, a top official of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Waste Management and Recycling Summit, Safar Mubarak al-Shafi, director of general, cleanliness project and mechanical equipment at the MME, said the figure did not include construction and hazardous wastes collected from different industrial and construction locations.
According to the official, workers deployed by the Ministry also handle street cleaning and transfer of waste to dumping stations from where it is transported to domestic solid waste management centre in Mesaieed. “It is the only facility of its kind in the Middle East.”
Al-Shafi said the waste management centre has the facility and capacity to recycle green waste and organic materials up to 750 tonnes a day. However, the centre which is handling 500 tonnes daily now will be able to treat more when the ongoing phase of expansion is completed.
One of the key features of the facility is the waste-to-energy technology. The integrated approach adopted at the centre helps it to convert 95% of trash it receives to energy or recycle it instead of being sent to landfill.
The centre is designed to treat up to 2,300 tonnes of mixed domestic solid waste per day. It comprises state-of-the-art waste sorting and recycling facilities, an anaerobic digestion composting plant, a 1,500 tonne-per-day incineration plant, and a sanitary landfill satisfying advanced standards in the world.
The Mesaieed facility, built in 2011, generates approximately 30MW of power. While 25MW goes to Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), the remaining 5MW is consumed the facility itself.
The garbage transfer stations are located in Al Khor, Dukhan, Doha West, Doha South and Industrial Area.
The waste management centre, spread over 300 hectares, was completed in October 2011. This also marked the beginning of the second phase of the agreement, whereby its builder Keppel Seghers, will continue to operate and maintain the centre until 2031.
When the second and third phases of expansion are completed the centre is expected to treat up to 2,300 tonnes of mixed domestic solid waste per day.