KARACHI, Oct 14: The city government workers are continuing with the process of mixing quicklime with the sand collected from the Clifton beach.

A solid waste management employee of the government said on Tuesday that the process of treating the oil-soaked sands and debris, which was started about two weeks back, would continue for another one week. “We have a target to biodegrade about 2,000 tonnes of contaminated sand collected from Clifton beach in the wake of oil spill from foreign tanker Tasman Spirit,” added the employee.

Transportation of sand bags, weighing about 1,000kg each, to Jam Chakro landfill site is likely to be completed on Oct 15.

In the first phase, about 1,000 bags were shifted amidst protest of health and environment conscious citizens and apprehensions of scientists as well. The second phase, which was started after a gap of some days, was nearing to an end and as such no further sand bags would be shifted to Jam Chakro site, added a sources privy to the beach debris and sand disposal operation.

So far, about 1,600 bags have been opened for stablization process while the sand after being mixed with limestone has been left in open air. Initially, the Sindh Environment and Protection Agency had suggested application of scientific treatment and the process of degradation of the oil-soaked sand and debris before their final burial in the especially-built pits at the landfill site, said sources in the SEPA.

However, the solid waste staff, after mixing lime, were unaware about the next step for the oil-soaked sand, as environment officials were yet to advise on the subject. “We can’t say with a degree of certainty whether the sand was no more hazardous, as the EPA after conducting certain tests on lime mixed sand was yet to intimate us in writing,” added the source in the city government.

It was further learnt that the preparation of specific dumping pits was still in pending, as the required geo-membrane for pit-lining and other guidelines were awaited. “However, we have dumped the wastes other than sand collected from the beach into garbage pits, with the understanding that those were no more harmful,” added the source in the city government.