Preparing green policy push to turn municipal waste into energy and usable products
The Punjab government is preparing a major policy push to turn waste into energy and commercially usable products as part of its expanding “Suthra Punjab” initiative, with officials considering incentives and land leases for private sector green investment projects across the province.
Under the proposed framework, state land could be leased to private companies for waste-to-energy, biogas and recycling projects aimed at reducing environmental pollution while generating renewable energy and revenue from municipal waste.
Officials say the policy was developed to modernize Punjab’s waste management system and move away from traditional “collect and dump” practices that had long contributed to landfill overflows, methane emissions and urban pollution.
Government sources said rules and conditions for leasing public land for environmentally sustainable projects are currently being finalised, while detailed regulatory guidelines were also being drafted.
The move came as the provincial government accelerated work on the “Waste to Value” phase of the Suthra Punjab program launched under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Punjab Local Minister Zeeshan Rafique recently said the project represented a critical step towards converting thousands of tons of collected waste into energy and recyclable products through modern technology.
Speaking at a recent project review meeting, the minister confirmed that a pilot bio-CNG plant at Lahore’s Lakhodair landfill had already started production. “Initially, 85 kg of CNG was produced daily from waste, but the methane concentration target would be increased further,” he said.
Officials described the project as a self-sustaining circular economy model designed to reduce waste while generating renewable energy and economic returns.
The provincial government’s latest plans build on several pilot projects launched over the past year in Lahore and other urban centres.
Environmental experts say Punjab’s rapidly growing urban population and rising waste generation have made sustainable waste management reforms increasingly urgent.
For now, officials said work on the regulatory framework and investment framework continues, while additional pilot projects and public-private partnerships are expected to be announced in the coming months as Punjab pushes to position itself as a leader in climate-focused urban development and green infrastructure.
