Waste management within the European Strategy for the Danube Region: partnership for development

 

On October 2-3 in Odessa, the representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, the Ministry for Regional Development, Construction and Housing of Ukraine along with city mayors, chairmen of local self-governance, academics and delegates of regional state administrations from four Ukrainian regions (Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Odessa), representatives of PA 5 and PA 7 discussed the issues, challenges and best practices of waste management in Danube region.

 

The aim of the conference is the promotion of Ukraine in the formation of systemic policy on the issue of waste management in the frameworks of European Strategy for the Danube region (EUSDR). With the express aim of development the systemic approach it is important to create Working Groups enlisting local authorities, academics, private sector representatives and communities for the planning of comprehensive system for the purpose of management various types of waste on regional and local levels. In the context of Danube strategy, the waste management is an important issue, which connects several priority areas.

 

It was interesting to enquire the Bavarian experience presented during the conference by Michael Richter, the delegate from the Ministry of Environment and Consumer Protection. Mr. Richter underlined the necessity of shaping the distinct institutional structure with defined authority and responsibility at each levels, he also mentioned the significance to carry through the detailed assessment concerning the expediency of landfill arrangement, waste incineration plant or other types of waste recycling.

 

As a part of presentation of National Strategy for waste management, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Ministry for Regional Development, Construction and Housing of Ukraine highlighted the necessity of involving local authority representatives to the Working Groups under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and regional state administration in order to create Action Proposals regarding waste management on the regional level.

 

Advisor to EUSDR Priority Area 5 (Environmental risks) from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Viktor Oroszi, paid attention to the necessity of comprehensive approach in resolving the waste issue in Danube region which addressed solely by the Priority Area 6 (Biodiversity) action plan. Emphasized the need for generation and implementation of mutual  projects related to the waste treatment along the Tisza River (considering the significant solid waste pollution problems of the river caused mainly by floods and having a harmful effect on water quality or tourism as well) and highlighted some possible funding possibilities. Jaroslava Szudi, the representative of EUSDR Priority Area 7 (Knowledge Society) pointed out that it is important to involve scientific and research institutions and achieve collaboration in the system of waste management relying on best practices in order to implement the EU standards and innovation approaches within waste management.

 

Mayor of Tulchyn city presented best practices of waste management in the region.  The members of DESPRO project along with representative from Tulchyn region elaborated the strategy of integrated domestic solid waste management and arranged the innovative and late-stage landfill. The Regional Development Agency Center representative, Maria Luchian from Moldova, underlined the relevancy of mutual cooperation for solving the problems of waste management. Moreover, Ms. Luchian noticed the importance of defining the certain aspects on legislative level. For instance, in Moldova, it is strictly forbidden to incinerate rubbish according to the legislation with a defined administrative accountability.

 

International conference ‘Waste management within European Strategy for the Danube region: partnership for development’ is organized by Ukrainian Institute for International Politics in cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Ministry for Regional Development, Construction and Housing of Ukraine with the assistance of Hanns Seidel Foundation in Ukraine.