Baku hosts int'l workshop on solid waste management
By Nigar Orujova
The first international workshop on solid waste management began in Baku "Waste to Energy as an Integral Part of Sustainable Waste Management Worldwide. The case of Baku city, Azerbaijan" on June 17, Tamiz Shahar company reports.
The five days workshop is organized by the company in cooperation with the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, the Research and Technology Council "from waste to energy" SYNERGIA, Columbia University, the Energy and the Environment Center Khazar and under the sponsorship of the French company CNIM SA.
Azerbaijan as many advanced countries pays attention to the right approach for management of municipal solid waste. The work carried out in Baku in the field helped this area to achieve a great success.
Construction of incineration plant and plant for sorting solid waste in Baku shows the government cares in this area. Implementation of such large and important projects provides the necessary infrastructure for building and developing the proper management of solid waste.
For this reason, experts and scientists from many countries gathered in the Azerbaijani capital to review the progress made by the countries and to discuss current trends and technologies, the conceptual approach and forms of governance and the prospects for alternative energy.
Tamiz Shahar CEO Zakir Ibrahimov, addressed the event, and told the participants about the ongoing work in this area and on the activities of the company. He noted, despite the fact that the recycling industry is a new field in Azerbaijan, significant progress in the area is observed in the recent years.
Ibrahimov also noted that in order to create a proper system of solid waste management, along with the creation of the landfill that meets all modern standards, the incineration plant was built and commissioned in Baku with capacity to incinerate 500,000 tons of solid waste per year, and to generate 231 million kW/h of electricity, as well as Balakhan plant for sorting of municipal solid waste with a capacity of 200,000 tons of household waste per year.
He also told on the works to build Balakhany Industrial Park and on the development of green business in Azerbaijan, stressed the role of Azerbaijan's experience in the field of solid waste management, which can be a good example for the developing countries.
The event was followed with speeches and presentations.
The workshop is held each year in different countries and the unique opportunity for professionals and graduate students specializing in waste management.
The workshop to discuss technical aspects of energy production from waste, the positive impact on environment and economy, mechanical-biological treatment, recovery and disposal of waste biogas.
The workshop, which will continue until June 21, will include lectures of the SYNERGIA head Efstratios Kalogirou, Nicholas Themelis, a Columbia University professor of engineering and waste-to-energy researcher, Stefano Consonni, chairman of MatER (Material & Energy from Refuse), Carlo Vandecasteele, professor of University of Leuven, Managing Director of UV&P Franz Neubacher and others.
The international event brought together representatives from Germany, UK, USA, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil, India, Oman, Libya, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Tamiz Shahar company aims to improve the environmental situation of the capital city through disposal of solid household waste in accordance with high standards.