By Noor Aftab
The Effective Microorganisms (EM) technology can be a perfect solution to help eradicate odour from dumping sites of solid waste, Helga Ahmad, a veteran German-born environmentalist, who has been working to eradicate smell and odour from dumping sites in the capital, told ‘The News.’
Controlling the odour with EM is simple to use, cost-effective and inexpensive. By spraying the offending material with EM-A (activated EM), not only can odour rapidly disappear, but also it can speed up the decomposition of the offending material and suppress the pathogens that thrive in this kind of environment.
Talking to ‘The News’, she said that EM technology can rapidly decompose the organic matter in the unprofessionally managed landfills, which immediately neutralizes the methanogenic groups of microbes thus preventing production of methane, considered one of the major reasons for air pollution. The experts have already showed confidence that if new technology is introduced in the capital city, the dumping grounds can be odourless and no leachate can contaminate the groundwater.
She said that more than a decade ago CDA’s environment wing was introduced to this technology, but it was found to be too tedious so matters unfortunately have not changed. “Unfortunately, I personally find it difficult to live with it. At times it is difficult for me to even visit the craftsmen centre in F 6 Supermarket, where we have been able to rent a shop from CDA as an outlet for woven goods from Swat,” she said.
The stream flowing behind the Flower Market emits foul smell and its odour spreads all over the area, even neutralising the fragrance of the flowers. Helga Ahmad said former director of Water Resource Research Institute of National Agricultural Research Centre had accepted the challenge years ago to experiment with EM technology.
Developed 25 years ago by Prof. Teruo Higa of Japan as an alternative to chemical fertilizer, it was years later coordinated with the Institute of Natural Farming in Faisalabad. She said vested interests from the chemical fertilizer and pesticide industry hampered the spread of this technology in this country, while all over the world its benefit has been acknowledged and its application is growing.
She said, “WRRI was approached and amazingly EM was still available. Not sure, if it would work, we were all waiting with trepidation after feeding some of the fluid into the stream. And, miraculously, after about quarter of an hour, the smell reduced considerably.” Sparingly, a few litres were periodically released into the stream and today no foul smell is emitted from this source, she said, adding, “Now we have to wait and see, if the microbes can survive the rainwater gushing down.”
Helga Ahmad said these beneficial microbes in the EM solution stop pathogenic microbial growth and establish growing conditions for other beneficial microbes in the surroundings of contaminated streams. Amazingly, interest has been shown by a young Assistant Commissioner of Islamabad, who is also administrator for Bhara Kahu. Concerned over the massive collection of solid waste in his area of administration, as a fair amount of it will in time reach Rawal Lake he plans to expose influential people of his area to promote this technology.