NEWS

Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) in the Southern Caucasus - Final Implementation Accompanying Measures 2015 - 2021

The initial situation to launch the initiative “Integrated Solid Waste Management in the Southern Caucasus” was the lack of a comprehensive national policy approach towards modern integrated solid waste management in the Southern Caucasus countries. The waste management and disposal procedures in the project areas were significantly below the required environmental and hygienic standards. The absence of proper waste management results in pollution of ground water, uncontrolled escape of methane gas and toxic dump fire fumes which lead to negative impacts on the environment, climate and the health of the population.

The ISWM project in Georgia (Integrated Solid Waste Management Kutaisi) is the only project that has reached implementation stage, whereas the investment projects in Armenia and Azerbaijan have not been agreed. The ISWM project in Georgia covers consulting services consisting of these two components:

  1. Advisory services for the implementation of the project: Support the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia in planning, tendering and supervising the construction of the new landfill site and the transfer stations including the long-distance transport equipment.
  2. Consulting Services for Accompanying Measures: Support the SWMCG in the areas of organisational and institutional development, financial management and the implementation of pilot projects on municipal level.

This accompanying technical assistance was provided by PEM Consult in cooperation with INTECUS (Germany) and GAMMA (Georgia) financed by EU NIF grant funds.

The objective of the technical assistance grant component was to contribute to a sustainable and environmentally sound ISWM in the project region and can be translated into a clear purpose: to ensure that SWMCG is fully capable of handling the challenges of planning and operating the new sanitary landfill, ensuring cost recovery, full environmental safeguards while operating the landfills and within a wider approach to contribute to an increased understanding in the municipalities and with the general public of benefits and the costs of modern waste management incl. waste reduction, prevention and recycling and composting (see link below to a video) aspects.

All achievement were documented in detail and are available at: waste.gov.ge/ka/