The government is exploring the establishment of an energy facility at the Haags Bosch landfill, aiming to convert solid waste into energy. “We are in discussions with leading global technology providers to bring their innovations here, transforming our waste into energy and generating revenue at the Eccles landfill site,” stated President Dr. Irfaan Ali during a live broadcast on Thursday. He noted, “This will be the first of such facilities and partnerships to be implemented.”

The Haags Bosch sanitary landfill, inaugurated in 2011 at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was designed to replace the outdated Mandela dumpsite in Georgetown. This initiative was financed through a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and aimed to address the solid waste collection and disposal challenges faced by Georgetown and surrounding Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

The landfill offers a more hygienic solution for waste disposal while promoting recycling efforts. This year, a budget of $700 million has been allocated for the construction of a cutting-edge recycling center and a hazardous waste cell at the site. The recycling center will aim to minimize landfill contributions by sorting and repurposing recyclable materials such as plastics, while the hazardous waste cell will ensure the safe disposal and treatment of toxic waste, thereby reducing environmental and public health risks.