Contemporary waste disposal project planned

BRUNEIANS can look forward to a more contemporary approach to waste management through the development of an engineered sanitary landfill to replace the existing dumpsite in Sungai Akar, said an official of Jurusy Perunding Company.

The Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation has chosen the firm to develop a new engineered waste management landfill, said Yong Teck Chin, senior technical manager of Jurusy Perunding.

"We have been engaged by them to look into the development of integrated solid waste system in Brunei. It will not be the conventional type of waste dumping," he said.

Work on the project is still in the design stage.

"This is to basically close down the existing Sungai Akar dumpsite and open up a new engineered landfill with a waste transfer station," he added.

The engineered landfill would enable the proper disposal of leachate which is waste water collected from vast amounts of accumulated rubbish, he said. "This type of landfill will have proper linings and pipes to treat leachate."

Leachate is the liquid that drains or "leaches" from a landfill. It varies widely in composition depending on the age of the landfill and the type of waste that it contains.

It can usually contain both dissolved and suspended material.

Jurusy Perunding, a local engineering and project managing company has been collaborating with Canadian firm Gartner Lee Ltd for the development of the landfill since 2004.

"(From) among locals there is no specific skills that we require. We need foreign expertise to come and (offer) certain specialised skills, that's why we decided to collaborate with Gartner Lee Ltd," he said.

The Canadian partner specialises in environmental project development.

Sectors such as renewable energy, waste management and water treatment are among potential industrial fields identified by foreign investors as part of Brunei's economic diversification efforts.

Only recently the Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS) conducted a study to identify causal factors and the status of waste management in Brunei Darussalam as well as the various measures that can be implemented in the country and possible best practices.

Under the National Development Plan 2007-2012, the Sungai Akar dumpsite will be closed down and "rehabilitated" due to the fast developing surrounding areas.

Residents near the dumpsite have complained to The Brunei Times that the rubbish landfill area is not only a persistent nuisance with flies rampant everywhere, but also poses serious health hazards.

The Brunei Times