The HCM City Department of Natural Resources and Environment is calling on local and foreign investors to develop a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant.

A waste-to-energy plant in District 9. HCMC is calling for investment in another waste-to-energy project with a daily capacity of 1,000 tons

The department has announced the main criteria for investors keen on the project with a daily waste handling capacity of 1,000 tons, such as using advanced technologies to burn waste to produce electricity, charging no more than US$21 per ton of waste and treating unclassified waste.

In addition, investors will need to ensure that the equipment used by the plant is brand new and detailed information on the equipment will need to be provided.

Once operational, the plant must function continuously, even when incidents arise and during maintenance. The municipal government will prioritize investors who are experienced in operating similar WTE plants, with a similar capacity.

As for the technical criteria, investors will need to have automated technologies in place that meet the standards of the Group of Seven countries, in addition to a system to separate recyclable waste and modules to allow the processing of more than 1,000 tons of solid waste.

Investors will also need to ensure that the odor from the waste does not affect households surrounding the plant. They are encouraged to employ local workers and train them.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, an interdisciplinary working group will review  investors’ tender dossiers and help them prepare these in a way that meets the bidding requirements in line with the Bidding Law and other relevant legal documents.

Investors interested in the project can register for tender participation from September 28 to October 15 at the office of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment in District 1.

Late last year, the HCMC government held a conference calling for investment in WTE projects in the city, which was attended by more than 40 investors.

HCMC generates some 8,700 tons of waste per day, with 87% of it buried, 14.7% recycled and 9.3% burned without generating electricity.

The city expects to reduce the proportion of buried waste to 50% by 2020 and to 20% by 2025.

Saigon Times