Environmental Safeguards
As part of GEI Mekong’s commitment to ESCG, the company adheres to international environmental safeguards implemented as international treaties, government laws, policies and regulations, as well as those used by multilateral development banks including the Asian Development Bank (AND), World Bank (WB) and the African Development Bank.
GEI Mekong observes international treaties including the Convention on the Prevention of Dumping of Wastes and other Matter (London Convention), which is an international treaty that limits the discharge of wastes generated on land and disposed of at sea (1972). The Basel Convention regulates the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes and obliges its Parties to ensure that such wastes are managed and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
GEI Mekong will complete the necessary environmental assessments to acquire the statutory environmental licenses top operate its facilities. The Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) will include as site-specific Environmental Management Plan (EMP) which covers the pre-construction, construction and post construction periods.
The IEE will address:
- the management and monitoring of air emissions.
- waste water and effluent management.
- noise and odour control and abatement.
- storm water management.
- vector and dust control.
- fire controls.
- residual containment of MSW.
- weigh bridge and traffic management controls.
The quality of air and water discharged from the facility will be measured and monitored on a daily and weekly basis (air stack emission will be monitored in real time). Surrounding soil, air, and ground water will be monitored monthly and quarterly. Monthly and annual environmental performance reports will be submitted to regulatory bodies and will include accurate waste accounting of MSW delivered by waste collection companies, recyclables and inert materials.
As part of GEI Mekong’s commitment to MSW, soil, water discharge and air emission regulations and international best practices, GEI Mekong will be installing a fully equipped and functioning laboratory at every facility, for analysis and characterization on the following;
- MSW
- Leachate
- Air quality
- Noise quality
- Odour controls
- Ground water
- Residual inert matter
Treatment and In-plant Recycling of Waste Water
GEI Mekong’s facilities will not discharge waste water or leachate to adjacent land or waterways. Process water will either be discharged to the atmosphere as waste steam or collected and sent to the onsite Anaerobic Baffle Reactor Compact Wastewater treatment plant (ABRC) for treatment and reuse within the facility. The short term municipal solid waste (MSW) storage area will be established in a fully sealed and bundled holding area under a negative vacuum at the front end of the materials recovery facility (MRF).