EDEN DISTRICT NEWS - A group of Sweden delegates visited the Eden District Municipality (Eden DM) satellite office in Mossel Bay last Tuesday 5 December to discuss the progress of the Regional Landfill Facility and the possible development of a *Biomass Plant.
The delegation is represented by officials from Cortus Energy, Ecopar and Business Sweden (CEB).
According to Morton Hubbe, manager of District Waste Management at Eden DM, the regional landfill project is now in its final stages.
"At this stage of the project program the domestic waste cell will be in operation by August next year," said Hubbe.
The aim of the discussion last week was to provide the delegates with a clear picture of both facilities and to unlock potential investment opportunities with regards to the biomass plant.
Hubbe took them through the approval process followed, the layout and the progress made to date with the development of the landfill facility.
The short and long-term development and management activities at the landfill facility were also discussed.
Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, said earlier the landfill site is a top priority, because an existing contract with PetroSA, which allows municipalities to dispose waste at the PetroSA facility, ends on 31 July 2018.
Eden DM has entered a memorandum of agreement with USAID: SA LED (a firm funded by the United States in support of projects within South Africa) regarding the implementation of solutions to accommodate organic waste generated in the Eden District.
The group of representatives in front of the Eden District Municipality satellite office in Mossel Bay.
Eden will assist the company with a study on the availability and composition of biomass feed-stock in Eden and help identify feasible and cost-effective alternatives to manage this, rather than taking it to landfill sites to be land-filled.
"Problem waste lines that will be included in this study are abattoir waste, wood waste, green waste and sewage sludge," said Hubbe.
"As soon as the biomass report is finalised and made available during February next year, the potential investors will also be allowed to examine its content, before making an informed decision on their possible future commitment towards the project."
The delegates are currently visiting various organisations within the Eden district, such as MTO Forestry, PetroSA, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, SANParks, Transnet, Portnet, the National Port Authority and Airports Company of South Africa.
* Biomass refers to organic waste, including meat rests from abattoirs, garden refuse, sewage sludge and wood chips from sawmills. Refuse destined for the landfill site would consist of typical household refuse.
Read a previous article: Swedish business delegation visits Eden
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