The project aims to collect and reuse the biogas produced in the Mamak Landfill, to convert it in electricity. The landfill receives the waste of approximately 3.6 million people living in 6 municipalities in the region of Ankara. The landfill currently was holding 20 million tons of municipal solid waste.
The project aims to develop the landfill as a “zero waste” landfill, where the environmental impacts of the existing and future land filled waste is limited, or even neutralised. The Mamak Landfill Waste Management Project was awarded by the World Bank for being the “Best environmental project of the year 2009”.
IMPACTS
Environmental
- Reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions associated to the use of the fossil fuels for generating electric power, minimizing the impact of the electric mix of the region. The pollution sources are replaced by biogas from the landfill, considered to have zero impact.
Social
- Creation of 602 jobs by the project activity.
- Recruitment of employees from the surrounding settlement units. This is especially important taking into account that many of the current employees did not have access to social security before working at Mamak landfill.
- Training of the employees in the operation and maintenance of the system. 20 trainings have taken place in the last 3 years, contributing to the personal and professional development of the employees. Most of the equipment and technology installed were imported from other countries and it was important to assure that the project could be safely controlled and that the quality of work of the employees was improved.
- Raising local awareness of citizens, as a key element for improved waste treatment. Delivery of information material, door-to-door education and school education.
- Social and environmental revitalization via the creation of a greenhouse zone in the landfill area, where the energy released by the project is harnessed to cultivate different kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruits.
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