Waste management firm gets level 3 environment permit

TOTAL Waste Management (TWM) Group was recently given a level 3 environment permit (EPL-485) by the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa).
TWM said in a statement that permit would allow it to undertake construction of the integrated waste management facility (IWMF) in Roku (a first and only such facility in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Pacific islands region).
It also allows TWM to conduct industrial wastewater treatment, quarrying and rock extraction; operate a full engineered landfill, design standards capable of receiving municipal, construction and demolition and hazardous wastes; waste incineration including industrial and biomedical wastes; bulk waste storage, reprocessing, fixation and treatment including hazardous solids and liquids and material recovery and recycling (including glass, oil, organics, metals, paper and cardboard, putrescible materials and plastics).
TWM managing director Kori Chan said: “The permit, recently granted to our business, will allow us to construct and safely operate our IWMF to world-class standards.
“The permit is reflective of the evolving legislation and increasing regulatory oversight and indicative of the increasing social expectation for companies to operate in a manner that is socially, environmentally and ethically responsible and aligned to the United Nations sustainable development goals.
“The issuance of the permit to TWM is an enabler to other development partners in PNG. They now have an in-country waste services facility that has the necessary statutory approvals for challenging waste streams,” Cepa Non-Renewable Resource Division-Environment Protection Wing director Michael Wau said.