European Business Association urges Ukrainians to sort garbage

To date, there are about 6,000 official landfills in the country. The number of unauthorized, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources, is 5 times more – more than 30 thousand.
This was reported by the press service of the European Business Association.
According to statistics, more than 93% of waste is exported to landfills and only 4.18% is sorted.
There is a theory that there are no capacities for processing raw materials in Ukraine, but the facts speak of another. Yes, there are 15 factories for processing glass, 15 for processing paper, 16 for processing metal, 19 for processing PET, 36 for processing secondary polymers. Their workload is not complete.
For example, paper processing plants have a capacity of 1100 thousand tons of raw materials, but only 600 thousand tons are processed. Glasses are capable of processing about 800 thousand tons, processing – 350 thousand tons. Paper and glass are even imported, because, paradoxically, it does not have enough raw materials. So, paper is imported about 340 thousand tons, glass – 20 thousand tons.
The situation with waste reaches critical scales. The number of landfills is growing. Responsible business for behaving in Ukraine with waste in a European manner is transparent and open. Expanded responsibility is European experience, works in 26 countries of Europe. Therefore, the European Business Association supports the introduction of expanded producer responsibility (RRP).
Now the manufacturer is responsible for production, design, packaging and sale. RRP provides for the full responsibility of the manufacturer for what it has released to the market, including collection, reuse / recycling or disposal of packaging. Separate collection and sorting of garbage is important for this. To optimize the work, manufacturers can unite and create an Organization of Extended Manufacturer Responsibility (ODS). Accordingly, for the collection and processing of packaging, kotraya released on the market, will meet the ODS.
Firstly, it will help to reduce waste entering landfills. After sorting – the ability to select important resources that can be reused or recycled (paper, glass, metal, plastic).
Secondly, it is important to select hazardous wastes, which now fall into the trash, as this can cause huge damage to the environment.
Thirdly, it is the development of an entire industry, and the creation of additional jobs. And Europe is ready to invest in the processing industry in the transparent treatment of waste.
And fourth, sorting will help reduce the burden on the city’s budget for garbage disposal and the cost of utility bills for the population. Since ODS fully finances the installation of additional containers for packaging waste, their export and is responsible for processing.
For the effective operation of the ODS, processing standards, as in the EU, should be introduced. For example, 50-60% of all glass containers emitted must be collected and processed. In some countries, this figure is up to 80%. At the end of 2017, the Government adopted the National Waste Management Strategy, which indicated the direction of Ukraine’s movement in this area, and the main priority direction identified the introduction of the RRP. The Association welcomes the creation of such an important document and hopes for the implementation of the provisions of the strategy.
Also, the European Business Association “for” a responsible waste management system – Extended producer responsibility.