UNDP signs MoU with Kaduwela MC to expand incineration capacity to tackle hospital waste

By Ifham Nizam

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kaduwela Municipal Council (KMC) to support the expansion of the waste to energy plant integrated with sustainable final disposal solutions for Healthcare Waste, which produces a blueprint of best practices to be adopted across the country to advocate for more holistic waste management.

UNDP officials yesterday told the media that the MoU would build on the years of collaborative work and longstanding partnership with KMC and UNDP in Sri Lanka, through the successful establishment of the Waste to Energy plant within the municipality.

The expansion project will entail providing sustainable solutions to treat a further 20 Megatons (MT) of biodegradable municipal waste and healthcare waste generated in the municipality. A new bio gas plant will be built to treat the additional 20 MT of biodegradable municipal waste, and an incinerator installed to primarily treat healthcare waste.

The renewable bio gas generated by this plant will be used in the incinerator to burn healthcare waste that will be equipped with emission control technology to comply with relevant standards. Working together with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, the project will look to mainstream sustainable waste management and energy generation to catalyse Green Development in Sri Lanka.

This MoU is part of UNDP’s wider support to the Government of Sri Lanka to contribute towards shaping the National Green Development agenda through a multi-stakeholder approach to achieve sustainable long-term development objectives of the country.

Sri Lanka is in the process of transforming its current development trajectory into a green and low carbon pathway, with a concerted push towards a green economy and green development.

Particularly, the recognition of progress made towards the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the necessity of increasing the contribution of renewable energy sources to the national energy needs is testament to Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing balanced, inclusive green growth in the country.