Zoomlion commissions $20m Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant

Waste Management firm, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of companies,  on Friday commissioned a 20-million dollar Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) in Accra.

The Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant, according to officials, is aimed at supporting government’s quest to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa.

The IRECOP has an 80% waste recovery rate with the capacity to handle 800 tons of solid waste on a 16-hour shift. The Plant is designed to additionally process about 200 tons of compost per day.

Socio-economically and job creation wise, the plant will also draw commercial activities to the area where it is sited (Food and Entertainment joints; transportation businesses and other related activities).

Thus, the recycling and compost project would improve the socio-cultural activities around the plant; while enhancing the green and climate resilience of the catchment area it serves.

The over 60 tons of compost that would be produced daily per plant would displace over 864,000 bags of chemical fertilizers imported annually into Ghana.

This would be a major saving on the country’s foreign exchange requirement. It is anticipated that about 216,000 bags of compost would be produced annually per plant with an additional 600,000 seedlings raised for distribution to commercial farms, Mines reclamation and Governmental planting for Food and Jobs programme.

The facility is further meant to address indiscriminate dumping of solid waste resulting in widespread pollution and its attendant effects on human health across the country. Thus, the Plants will contribute to the improvement of sanitation leading to the optimal health of residents in MMDAs.

The plant will also serve as research and training centre for educational institutions such as Universities / Polytechnics, Colleges of education, First and Second Cycle Schools as well as industries in the Regions. Students will be allowed to use the facility for project work, internship and academic attachments. The facility could also be beneficial for industrial visits/tours.

In an address, the Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong explained that from its inception in 2006, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has always considered waste as a resource that should be harnessed.

He further explained that the non-availability of landfill sites in the country coupled with its high cost of operation, pushed his company to invest in recycling plants to tackle the huge waste problem in the country.

“We commenced with the introduction of the tricycle concept in waste management. Trucks were later brought in to speed up the process of conveying waste to the landfills. By 1991, Government was operating twenty-one (21) landfills. All these landfills have been covered and closed down since the lifespan of a landfill is two (2) years. Most of them were donor funded. Some of the landfills are currently full and causing nuisance to residents in areas where they are located. Associated with the high cost of operation is the problem of low turnaround time as the trucks have to cover long distances in the midst of heavy traffic congestion to reach the landfill sites”

“Another aspect of the problem is that when it rains, the trucks are unable to operate effectively. In the light of this, Zoomlion decided to introduce composting and recycling as part of recovery of resource from waste,” Mr Siaw further explained.

He said, “as a Research, Innovation & Development oriented company”, the review of the operational methods of Zoomlion brought to the fore the need for further transformation in their operational methods that had been dependent on the landfill dumping. According to him, this transformational agenda also coincided with the period when Government declared its desire to see Accra as the cleanest city soonest”.

“Mindful that the waste management system, as being operated could not match the speed with which Government was determined to see environmental cleanliness achieved, Zoomlion’s motivation to be part of the rapid waste processing solution was aroused leading us to collaborate with our European technology partners – Komptech Austria. We shared and exchanged ideas about our research findings on the concept of mobile and integrated waste technology that can be quickly installed and be capable of handling the type of mixed waste as we currently have in our communities. The outcome of this technological research partnership is confirmed by the 20 million dollar-Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant project that is about to be commissioned,” Mr Siaw added

Speaking on behalf of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at the commissioning ceremony, Business Development Minister Ibrahim Mohammed Awal said one of the biggest challenges that face the county, is the threat posed by plastic filth which has engulfed it over the years.

“These plastics do not decompose easily and thereby cause the pollution of the environment. This challenge to the environment, however, stands to be minimized through the operations of this recycling plant,” he stated.

He continued that the “collaboration of waste processing companies will be sought in this regard. Equally important to be engaged in this partnership would be the plastic products manufacturers who will be required to contribute so they will be alive to their economic responsibilities relating to collection, disposal and recycling of waste.”

The Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies of which Zoomlion Ghana Limited is a subsidiary Joseph Siaw Agyepong said: “The aim is to reduce the amount of waste generated, therefore reducing the need for landfill space.”

As a Research, Innovation & Development oriented company, the review of the operational methods of Zoomlion brought to the fore the need for further transformation in our operational methods that had been dependent on the landfill dumping. This transformational agenda also coincided with the period when Government declared its desire to see Accra as the cleanest city soonest.

According to him, mindful that the waste management system, as being operated could not match the speed with which Government was determined to see environmental cleanliness achieved, Zoomlion’s motivation to be part of the rapid waste processing solution was “aroused leading us to collaborate with our European technology partners – Komptech Austria.

“We shared and exchanged ideas about our research findings on the concept of mobile and integrated waste technology that can be quickly installed and be capable of handling the type of mixed waste as we currently have in our communities. The outcome of this technological research partnership is confirmed by the 20 million dollar-Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant project that is about to be commissioned.”