The industrial waste mapping (IWM) exercise, which aims to identify, assess, and map the waste streams of local manufacturing enterprises (from initial generation until final disposal) is proposed for two community territories in Ukraine, Davydiv and Slavuta. Here, the main goal is to develop options for an improved resource efficiency and the introduction of circular economy principles at the regional level.
The two pilot regions, Davydiv Village Territorial Community (VTC) and Slavuta City Territorial Community (CTC) will benefit from a robust industrial waste mapping exercise, tailored for their region and relevant for their enterprises. To mark the endeavour, within the EU-funded EU4Environment Action Component “Circular Economy and New Growth Opportunities” implemented by UNIDO, two important events took place at the end of November.
The first information meeting on IWM was hosted online for the members of Davydiv VTC on 18 November 2021; the second meeting was dedicated to the members from Slavuta CTC. On both occasions, the information meetings were held with the purpose to present the preliminary results of industrial waste management and waste mapping activities, to give the representatives of the enterprises from the Territorial Communities the opportunity to comment, and to develop further plans based on the assessments’ results.
I believe that our work and cooperation, together with the implementation support provided under this programme, will generate an important success because the question of waste reduction is a core issue in the territory of our amalgamated community, saidMr. Igor Khrun, Deputy Village Head for Executive Bodies, Davydiv Village Council
For us, this is not only a new direction of activity, but also a great pleasure to be able to implement this project jointly with the national RECP Centre and UNIDO. We have already had RECPC representatives visiting us and communicating with the industrial enterprises to see that the enterprises are interested in the exercise. With that in mind, we would like to express our gratitude and hope to see positive, practical outcomes arising from this implementation, said Mr. Vasyl Sydor, Slavuta Mayor.
The participants list consisted of representatives from both the Davydiv VTC and Slavuta CTC, industrial enterprises, local authorities and agencies, ecologists, as well as representatives from the RECP Centre, UNIDO, and its international waste management experts. In both cases, the data gathered from enterprises was used to initiate an analysis of the existing types of industrial waste sources. The efficiency of the used materials was also analysed and positioned in a hierarchy.
This is the second meeting we have organized to discuss the results of the waste mapping exercise of the EU4Environment Action. In this regard, we are working as part of a consortium of organizations that work in the EaP countries, including Ukraine. A similar activity has already been initiated in Georgia’ Rustavi and Zestaponi municipalities in June 2021, and a kick-off stakeholders meeting on IWM was held online in Azerbaijan, earlier in November. In this sense, we work not only with the waste mapping activities, but also with general RECP activities (which consist of assessments of enterprises, and a strong capacity building and awareness component). Now, we can discuss the preliminary results and initial steps taken, as well as the reactions of the enterprises towards the proposal to help them be more efficient in their production activities and the means to reduce waste, said Ms. Tatiana Chernyavskaya, EU4Environment Project Manager, UNIDO.
For Davydiv VTC, four types of waste were identified: plastic, wood, organic waste, and cardboard waste. In the case of Slavuta CTC, the main types of waste were: ceramics, paper and cardboard, wood, and plastic. On both occasion, additional waste was also observed. The preliminary recommendations were then based on the 5-step hierarchy system established by the European Commission[1]: prevention, preparing for re-use, recycling, recovery, and disposal.
In the case of Davydiv VTC, new recycling opportunities were also identified. These would help with the management of waste, which is currently delivered to Lviv, thus reducing costs, unnecessary transport and deposit means, and reducing emissions. As well, waste streams from three agrarian places in Ukraine were also identified, where the investigation proposed the manufacturing of by-products (such as fertilizers or oil-based products) to help the municipalities located in the near vicinity.
As for Slavuta CTC, a region already awarded by UNIDO for its proactiveness to engage with the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) methodology, out of the four types of waste identified, it was noted that all paper and cardboard was recycled. Concretely, the CTC has a clear demand for paper, so appropriate collection points have long been established in various locations. Whilst the simplest solution to address the paper waste would be to burn it for energy, the Slavuta representatives are seeking more advanced solutions to reuse it. Additionally, wood waste is also efficiently used as a secondary revenue stream by some companies. As an example, companies selling wood products to Europe already take care of the generated waste and transform it into by-products (such as heating pallets). Thus, around 99% of the organic wood waste is used productively for heating. Given the current rise of gas prices, this focus has become all the more appealing.
Background
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 reintroducing waste into the economy via resource loops. Waste management includes the activities and actions from its generation to its final disposal. This means collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste, contributing to the monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and technologies. An efficient waste management system creates an increased business value; and contributes to the sustainability of manufacturing industries and the promotion of economic opportunities.
More information is available at www.recpc.org
[1] European Commission: Waste Framework Directive: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/topics/waste-and-recycling/waste-framework-directive_it