Implementing organizations: International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Duration: 17 March 2014 – 18 March 2018
Geographic coverage: Kakheti Region and Adjara Autonomous Republic
Goal: The program supports the competent central and local government authorities, local businesses, communities, and municipalities in designing and introducing an integrated waste management system for Kakheti Region and Adjara Autonomous Republic.
Main focus areas of the program:
The program focuses on the following four directions:
– Designing and establishing an integrated waste management system and improving the capacity of the public and private sectors;
– Strengthening the capacity and efficiency of recycling companies, improving the enabling environment;
– Developing tariff policy in the waste sector;
– Raising public awareness of integrated waste management. Ensuring public participation in all aspects of the design and implementation of a modern waste management system.
Current activities and results:
Creating a discussion platform for waste management issues, a stakeholders’ consultation group (SCG) has been established, where all stakeholders — governmental and non-governmental; local, national and international — are represented by 24 individuals;
Assessing solid waste management systems in the project’s target regions;
Inventorying coverage of waste collection services and illegal dumpsites and developing appropriate GIS maps and a web-portal;
Developing technical regulation for Construction, Operation, Closure and After-Care of Landfills in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection. The technical regulations were approved by the Government of Georgia on 11 August 2015;
Working on development of technical regulation for Collection and Treatment of Municipal Waste in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection to be submitted to the Government of Georgia for approval in February 2015;
Developing the Gurjaani landfill closure plan in cooperation with the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia. A memorandum signed between the project and the company commits the company to close the landfill according to the plan in 2016;
Developing the Guideline for Municipal Waste Management Plan Preparation in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection. It should be noted that according to Waste Management Code, preparation of municipal waste management plans is mandatory for all municipalities;
Memorandums of understanding have been signed between two US and two Georgian cities, Telavi-Catawba County NC and Batumi-Golden CO, and a mutual cooperation action plan was developed between the cities. The visits of delegations from the US to Georgia, as well from Georgia to the US have been held within the scope of the city to city program. During these visits, concrete activities have been planned that will help to establish integrated waste management systems in the cities of Batumi and Telavi;
Launching the pilot project Piloting Waste Management Integrated Systems in 5 villages of Telavi Municipality. The aim is to introduce separated waste collection systems and demonstrate their advantages in target villages of Telavi Municipality;
Conducting waste composition seasonal studies in Kakheti Region and Adjara Autonomous Republic; the studies for summer and autumn have already been finalized and relevant reports have been developed;
Clearing 6 spontaneous waste disposal sites in Adjara AR and Kakheti Region. Waste collection bins and Information boards were placed at all of the cleared areas and agreements were reached with the local governments to ensure the collection of waste. In addition trees were planted at two of the cleared areas in cooperation with local governments, to repurpose the former dumpsites;
Creating and officially registering the Waste Management Association;
Developing of the strategy and action plan for the Waste Management Association;
Developing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for recycling company, Zugo Ltd in order for them to receive an environmental permit and operate in accordance with Georgian law;
Assessing waste tariffs in the target regions;
Conducting public awareness and capacity building activities in target regions including:
– a series of targeted trainings for local governments, businesses and school students;
– round table meetings with stakeholders;
– open public lectures on integrated waste management approaches;
– competitions and a summer camp on the topic of integrated waste management for secondary school students;
– three public service announcements (PSAs) broadcasted on public television promoting the 4Rs—Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle—and explaining the importance of a tariff system, showing the linkage between tariff fee collection and a clean and healthy environment.