Pakistan’s Public Private Partnership Committee has approved a waste-to-fuel project in Peshawar, aiming to improve municipal waste management while cutting reliance on imported energy, officials said.
The approval was granted during the committee’s 10th meeting, chaired by Muhammad Sohail Afridi, as part of broader efforts to promote sustainable infrastructure and private sector participation.
Under the project, municipal solid waste will be processed into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) using modern waste-to-energy technology. The fuel will be supplied to industrial users, particularly the cement sector, as an alternative to imported coal.
Officials said the initiative is expected to reduce pressure on landfill sites, improve environmental conditions in the provincial capital, and help conserve foreign exchange by lowering fuel imports.
The chief minister told the meeting that the project could also generate economic returns through carbon credits, create employment opportunities, and support Pakistan’s climate and energy transition objectives.
Authorities plan to establish material recovery and waste processing facilities at the Shamshto Landfill Site, enabling the sorting and conversion of waste into usable fuel.
Officials added that the unsolicited proposal submitted by a private firm will be taken to the market to ensure transparency and encourage competitive bidding, in line with public-private partnership regulations.
The waste-to-fuel project aligns with Pakistan’s broader push to reduce environmental degradation, improve urban waste systems, and diversify domestic energy sources amid rising import costs and fiscal pressures.
