Pakistan is often known for having some of the most polluted cities whether it is air pollution or just piles of garbage everywhere. But recently, something different happened. A huge garbage site at Mehmood Booti got turned into hundreds of millions of dollars worth of profit. And not many people are talking about it.
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If you are from Lahore or have travelled on Lahore Ring Road, you must have noticed a massive pile of garbage near Mehmood Booti or at least smelled it. But now? It is just… gone.
It came as a real shock to us when we found out that the Government of Punjab actually took an initiative here. Something serious, something that changed the whole Mahmood Booti area
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What Was Mehmood Booti?
Mehmood Booti was Lahore biggest landfill site holding around 14 million tonnes of waste for Lahore Waste Management Company. The entire area had become a serious health hazard for residents and people working nearby, mostly due to the dangerous gases coming out from the garbage.
But now, that massive landfill looks totally different. And here is how it all went.
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Mehmood Booti Garbage Landfill Dissapeard
A new project was started by the government, and instead of just ignoring the waste, they covered the entire site.
- First, special sheets were laid across the waste to stop water from seeping in.
- Then, the landfill was covered with sand to control the smell and reduce visual pollution.
- Long pipes were installed vertically across the site and that is what made many people confused.
What were these pipes for? we will explain below.
Turning Methane Gas into Money
When garbage sits for years, it produces methane gas. Now methane is 22 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, but in the carbon credit world, it’s worth real money.
The government has outsourced and allowed third party companies to invest in this site and collect methane gas. These companies earn revenue by selling carbon credits in the international market.
The Pipes Are Gas Collection Wells:
- The pipes is to pull methane gas from under the landfill.
- Then the gas is transported to a treatment system.
- It is either converted to energy or sold as carbon credits in the international market.
This technique is known globally as Landfill Gas Recovery, and it is eco friendly + profitable.
Here is how the Numbers Work:
- Every 1 million tonnes of waste = 1 carbon credit
- One carbon credit = $19–$20 on the global market
- Mehmood Booti has 14 million tonnes of garbage
Total potential revenue? Around 280 to 300 million dollars over a span of next 10 years.
Disclaimer: The above are estimated based on publicly available data and global standards. Official figures have not been disclosed.
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A Solar Park & Urban Forest in the Making
The Government of Punjab did not just stop at managing methane gas. The once toxic site is now being transformed into a green hub for the city.
According to some unofficial sources, the Mehmood Booti site will host:
- A 5 megawatt solar power plant, which will generate clean energy
- An urban forest, to help revive the biodiversity and reduce pollution
- Multiple phases of development, with project completion expected by the end of 2025
The Government initiative aligns with global climate goals by UN and makes Mehmood Booti a powerful example for other provinces on how sustainable innovation can emerge from waste.
Could This Be the Future of Pakistan’s Economy?
This success doe not end here. Pakistan still has many landfill sites in major cities like Karachi, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, and more. If this model is repeated, Pakistan could turn its waste crisis into a revenue generating opportunity.
Nobody expected something as simple as garbage to turn into something this big. This initiative is a smart, practical move that not only helps reduce pollution but also brings in serious foreign investment and environmental credibility.
If managed properly, this could change Pakistan’s economy and it all started with trash.
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
