Towards a Circular Economy and Sustainable Waste Management

The European Commission announced the "Circular Economy Package" in December 2015, it adopted a circular economy action plan - one of the main components of the European Green Agreement, the new European Agenda for Sustainable Development. The new European Agenda for Sustainable Development. The new action plan incorporates measures to "adapt" the EU economy to a greener future, improve its competitiveness, and protect the environment at the same time. This plan puts emphasis on production aligned with the circular economy, which seeks to extend the life of resources used in the EU economy as much as possible.

Developing a green economy is one of the major challenges the world faces today, as our current economic system is based on the ‘take-consume-throw-away’ principle and wastes resources inefficiently. Resource scarcity and environmental pollution are therefore becoming more acute each day, and waste reduction and the efficient management of scarce resources are growing challenges.

Likewise, Georgia has also committed to transitioning to a circular economy, which will help it meet the EU Association Agreement and other international commitments. Rather than the traditional linear economy (production, consumption, waste disposal), a circular economy takes advantage of resources for as long as possible, maximizes their value in use, and then, when each cycle of operation is completed, rebuilds the products or raw materials and gives them new life.

“The main principle is that the waste should not end up in the landfill and should be returned to the economy through recycling, restoring or exporting; the circular principle means that once a product has been consumed, it should not be thrown away, but rather it should be reused,” Solomon Pavliashvili, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture, said in an interview with Diplomat.

Solomon Pavliashvili, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture

A lot needs to be done to prepare for the transition to a circular economy: studying in which fields and areas in Georgia it will be easiest and most effective to introduce the principles of a circular economy; drafting national, regional and local circular economy strategies; evaluating what legislative changes, investments and technologies are necessary to support circular economy initiatives; there need to be mechanisms for stimulating and encouraging the circular economy, including legislation; obstacles and risks need to be identified and assessed, and plans for pilot and demonstration projects need to be put into place.

“Georgia has been working on regulation for this purpose since 2019; it will not only provide environmental protection, but is also economically beneficial, as it requires importers and producers of this waste, as well as all those involved with it, to contribute toward the common organization for the management of these wastes,” said Solomon Pavliashvili.

Some consistent steps have already been taken to facilitate the introduction of the cycle with the support of international partners; The Waste Management Code has been adopted, which includes the hierarchy of waste management and the principle of extended producer responsibility.

According to Demetres Economides, an international expert, Georgia is in a transitional period attempting to establish a first basic level of effective waste management. These efforts span to a wide range of waste management levels: from collection, transportation and disposal of waste to Sanitary Landfills. This phase is still in progress since most regions are in the engineering, procurement, and construction stages. To establish this level, he estimates that it will take about two to three years.

“The Georgian Solid Waste Management Company is actively engaged in strengthening the municipalities through the exchange of experience and technical equipment. In connection with various projects, the company has conducted trainings and exercises on the issues of developing a waste management plan and strategy to municipalities. Additionally, municipalities are periodically provided with equipment according to European standards for waste collection and transportation. In addition, special separation bins will be purchased and handed over to several municipalities as part of pilot projects to promote recycling,” said Giorgi Shukhoshvili, Director of the Georgian Solid Waste Management Company.

Giorgi Shukhoshvili, Director of the GeorgianSolid Waste Management Company

Founded in 2012 on the basis of the new legal framework, Georgia Solid Waste Management Company has been actively involved in developing the National Waste Management Strategy and the Waste Management Code. Management of the company falls under the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, and the company is responsible for the operation, systemic rehabilitation, closure, and post-closure maintenance of all existing landfills throughout Georgia (except the Autonomous Republic of Adjara), as well as the construction of non-hazardous waste facilities that comply with European standards.

A total of 54 landfills are managed by Georgian Solid Waste Management Company, 24 of them having been closed according to international standards and Georgian legislation, and 30 of them being progressively rehabilitated. In addition, five waste unloading stations have been established. Currently, all landfills operate in accordance with the plan approved by the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture. Landfills record the type and amount of waste that is deposited on a daily basis and transmit the data to the central database.

It is planned that by 2030, all existing (old) landfills will be gradually closed following the start of the operation of the new regional non-hazardous waste disposal facilities (Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti; Imereti; Racha-Lechkhumi; and Kvemo Svaneti; Kakheti; Kvemo Kartli; Samtskhe-Javakheti; Shida Kartli). By constructing regional waste management centers, a modern waste management system will be introduced to the country, making waste management more cost-effective and improving the ecological conditions.

The circular economy is not just about specific waste,it covers too many directions such as agriculture, e.g.grape processing, etc. In fact, reusing is a very importantaspect of all this. A relevant strategy will be completed bythe end of this year, as stated by the Deputy Minister ofEnvironment and Agriculture, and it will clearly outline theresults to be achieved as well as highlighting the areaswhere Georgia holds potential.

Demetres Economides believes that Georgia has a bigpotential of improvement in this direction. The main areasare the enforcement of Legislative framework, Managerialstructure (here he mentioned the continuous and persistentefforts of SWMCG), Stakeholders Engagement, Privatesector’s active involvement and most importantly Public’sacceptance and Participation. “The most important issueis that everybody realizes that waste is not someone elseproblem but it involves everyone and all should participateto an effective management,” said Economides and suggestedgovernment to review National Solid waste strategybased on Circular Economy, to improve Legislative frameworktowards an effective waste management, to supportinitiatives on synergies and combined waste managementand initiatives for public involvement.