Page 44 - Respond 2014 | RTCC Publications

Cities and regions

innovAtion

in wAste

mAnAgement

in peru

Rising waste levels are a critical concern in developing countries around the world, causing pollution and
localised health impacts. The answer doesn’t always lie with governments

Petramas is a Peruvian company that provides services in
waste management, in a country considered as the third Based in Lima, Petramas is a waste company focused on
growing economy in the region. These services include improving its local environment and generating clean energy from
urban cleanliness and fnal disposal and they are offered the landfll sites it manages
to local governances in Lima.

We have developed UN-certifed Clean Development world is the low rate in payment of taxes, which reduces the funds for urban
Mechanism (CDM) projects and renewable energy from cleanliness services and an appropriate fnal disposal of the trash recollected.
the collected rubbish. We employ 1,500 people, with all
the social benefts according to law. In these circumstances, Petramas introduced a series of solutions. One is an attempt
to dramatically reduce of the price per tonne of rubbish, from US$ 12 to less than
Waste companies may seem unlikely green leaders, US$ 4 thanks to an innovative management method in landflls.
but look at the facts. Our country produces nine million
tonnes of trash a year. This now means landfll disposal can be an affordable option for the localities and also
provide power, due to methane recovery, which is used to generate electricity.
From this around of 30% goes to a landfll, 6% is recycled
and more than 64% goes to garbage dumps, the river, the Waste mountains
sea, damaging the ground, water and air, reducing the life Petramas’ landflls receive around 6,000 tonnes of garbage per day. This quantity of
expectancy and contributing to the global warming. garbage represents around 70% from the total made in Lima, the fastest growing city
in Peru.
Capital case-study
In the case of Lima, twenty years ago, before Petramas Greenhouse gases produced by the anaerobic decomposition of garbage are captured
entered the fnal disposal market, 80% of garbage went by a system of pipes, avoiding the release to the atmosphere.
to dumps, where it was typically used to feed pigs, which
then were given as food to people. The gas is cleaned and is then used as a fuel for engines that produce clean energy.

From a general view, this situation occurs because the Social impacts
problem that faces many governments in the developing During its visit to Huaycoloro Landfll, World Bank director Marcelo Giugale pointed out
that the main cause of child disease is pollution, and the existence of garbage dumps
makes this problem worse.

Entire families relying on recycling or pig breeding live in the middle of rubbish, with
critical consequences for their health and long-term poverty levels.

Facing this problem, Petramas has undertaken social changes specially for the people
who were considered social outcasts.

Now they are emergent workers who can recycle in landflls, under regulated
conditions that protect their integrity.

We have recycling associations and families that have formed enterprises and will in
time see their revenues increase.

Petramas
Dr. Jorge Zegarra, Chief Executive, Petramas www.petramas.com

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