Two Shanghai-based companies have signed an agreement with Pakistan's biggest city to build a US$100-million solid waste treatment project.

 

The scheme included the construction of facilities for garbage collection and transportation, recycling and sanitary backfilling of garbage, said Qian Yulin, general manager of Shanghai Shengong Environmental Protection Co. Ltd.

 

Shanghai Shengong, which designed the project, China Shanghai (Group) Corporation for Foreign Economic and Technological Cooperation and the Karachi city government would jointly invest in the two-year project.

 

The two Shanghai companies would run the plant after its completion. The Karachi city government would earmark waste treatment fees and special subsidies for the plant.

 

The garbage treatment process would produce fertilizer and methane, said Qian. The methane would be used to produce electricity.

 

Karachi, a sister city of Shanghai, has a population of about 20 million and produces 8,000 tons of urban garbage a day.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2007)