In June, EU4Environment launches Industrial Waste Mapping (IWM) in two municipalities of Georgia – Rustavi and Zestaponi. Those two municipalities will benefit from piloting a robust industrial waste mapping exercise, which focuses on outlining the lifecycle of industrial waste, from its very inception at a production site until its final disposal.
Industrial waste mapping is a method to quantify and demonstrate the distribution and management of industrial waste within a geographic area. With a number of ways to design waste mapping and concrete successful examples being taken from around the world, industrial waste maps could become part of circular economy plans in which producers of waste are managing and reintroducing waste into the economy via resource loops. In Rustavi and Zestaponi municipalities of Georgia, the waste mapping exercise aims to identify, assess, and map the waste streams of the local manufacturing enterprises. Its main goal is to develop options for an improved resource efficiency and introduction of circular economy principles and practices.
The stakeholders of IWM activity, including the Georgian government, local government representatives, private companies, international experts and staff members from UNIDO and its national partners, will meet at the beginning of June. They will discuss IWM opportunities in Zestaponi and Rustavi to plan further steps and agree on the appropriate mapping methodology, available waste streams and industries in the region, and review comments and recommendations to adapt the forthcoming activities.