Projects
Geo Pomona Waste Management
Turning Trash to Treasure
Geo Pomona Waste Management Pvt Ltd took over a site overflowing with haphazardly dumped waste and has made significant progress. The land has been cleared, with designated areas set aside for ongoing waste disposal. Access roads have been built for better management, and the entire site is now secure with fencing, guard rooms, electric gates, and boom gates. Offices for staff members were built within the site.
Boreholes and irrigation systems have been installed. These will be used to maintain the area and the water will be used in the works being done at the site. There is electricity throughout the site. At the site entrance, there is a transformer that was installed. Additionally, there are lights that were installed on all roads and facilities, enabling work to continue at night.
Zero Waste to Landfill
The primary goal of the company is to adopt a “Zero waste-to-landfill” approach, which aims to minimize the amount of waste sent to landfills. By implementing this strategy, the company intends to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability.
Weighbridge and waste disposal
For accurate measurement of waste delivered on site, there is a weighbridge system on site at the entrance which weighs waste vehicles on arrival, records and verifies load data and reweighs the vehicle once the load has been deposited. We have installed two weighbridges connected to two traffic lanes, allowing us to serve multiple trucks simultaneously. In addition to accurate weighing of waste, we have a data capturing system in place to record the customer’s details, type of waste brought in, vehicle registration number, customer’s address, area where waste was collected, time of waste arrival, and waste weight details.
Waste Encapsulation
We utilised an engineering process called encapsulation, to manage pre-existing waste which had accumulated over the years. It involves covering the waste with layers of geomembrane and geotextile. This is followed by a protective layer of soil where vegetation like lawn, trees, and bushes can thrive. This approach will be applied to 15 hectares of land, effectively addressing waste accumulated over the past two decades.
Encapsulation stands out as an optimal solution for managing existing waste. By effectively sealing off the waste, it curtails the release of greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxides, and sulphur oxides into the atmosphere. This containment significantly contributes to mitigating the adverse effects of global warming and climate change.
Embracing encapsulation not only transforms wastelands into green spaces but also plays a vital role in environmental conservation by minimizing harmful emissions.
The Sorting Plant
The waste sorting plant is a crucial step in adhering to the principles of waste management hierarchy and our commitment to the “Zero-Waste to Landfill” policy. This facility employs a comprehensive selection process for incoming waste, aligning with global waste management directives.
Our sorting plant separates bulky materials and recyclable fractions from the incoming waste stream. It’s imperative to adhere to this hierarchy as we aim to avoid incinerating recyclable materials, which is not considered best practice. Additionally, the plant will strategically select waste with optimum calorific power for our Waste to Energy Plant.
Utilizing a combination of mechanical and manual sorting methods, our facility maximises the recovery of recyclable materials such as metal, glass, and plastic. The inclusion of manual sorting not only enhances the efficiency of our sorting process but also provides opportunities for workforce engagement and empowerment within the project.
The structure of the sorting plant comprises four distinct areas:
- Waste reception area: Where all collection vehicles discharge the waste to be processed.
- Manual selection area: Dedicated to the sorting of bulky and recyclable materials manually.
- Mechanical sorting area: Utilized for the automated separation of waste and the sorting of ferrous and non-ferrous materials.
- Loading area: Where selected fractions are loaded onto transport vehicles for transportation to end systems, including incineration plants, recycling facilities, and landfill sites.
Through the implementation of advanced sorting technologies and a meticulous operational framework, our sorting plant represents a pivotal component in our sustainable waste management strategy.
Hazardous Landfills
The Geo Pomona Waste Management site operates three distinct types of landfills; each designed for specific types of waste:
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill
This landfill is designated for the disposal of municipal solid waste, primarily organic waste with a low calorific value. It also serves as a backup disposal area during maintenance or downtime at the Waste-to-Energy Plant. - Ash Landfill
This cell is specifically for ash disposal, which is a by-product generated from the Waste-to-Energy Plant. - Hazardous Waste Landfill
This landfill handles hazardous waste, including e-waste, chemicals, and used oils. The hazardous waste cell is engineered with multiple protective layers—clay, a geomembrane, and geotextile—to prevent any interaction between the waste and the surrounding environment. It is currently the only hazardous waste landfill in Harare.
To ensure environmental safety, a system of piezometers has been installed for continuous monitoring of the surrounding area. In addition, a drainage system has been implemented to collect leachate, which is then directed to a wastewater treatment facility.
Waste Water Treatment & Water Pools
At Geo Pomona Waste Management, there is a wastewater treatment system in place to clean the leachate (dirty water) produced by the landfills.
Leachate is collected in two large ponds before it is sent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant can treat up to 300 cubic meters of leachate per day, which is enough for the size of the landfill.
The treatment process makes sure that the water released into nearby surface water (like rivers or streams) meets EU environmental standards.
The final products generated from the treatment system are two: purified water (98-99%) that will be discharged in the surface water network present and the concentrate (1-2%) that will be recycled in the same landfill to increase the production of biogas and to the maintenance of pollutants in the landfill.
Future Waste To Energy
As part of Geo Pomona’s commitment to modern and sustainable waste management, plans are underway to develop a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Plant. This project aligns with the fourth level of the waste management hierarchy: energy recovery—a crucial step in reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills.
Once operational, the plant will:
- Incinerate approximately 1,000 tons of waste per day
- Generate between 16–22 MW of electricity
- Feed this energy into the national grid, supporting Zimbabwe’s growing energy needs
This facility will be the core of Geo Pomona’s integrated waste management system, turning waste into a valuable resource while minimizing environmental impact.
