Advancing Waste Management: Strategic Workshop Explores Implementation of Circular Economy and European Best Practices

On April 5-7, a capacity-building workshop gathered Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), national and international professionals from the waste management sector as well as representatives of local government and municipalities to discuss the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, PRO internal policies and procedures and the development and update for operations plans and business plans. Inspirational examples from Belgium and Netherlands were presented as they are shaping the waste management sector in Georgia while reducing its environmental impact.

The workshop brought together representatives from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, the Ministry of Finance and Economy of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Batumi City Hall, “Adjara Waste Management Company” and “Sandasuftaveba”. Attendees also included the following PROs at whom the workshop was primarily aimed: “Geoprofessional Business Association for Extended Producer Responsibility”; “Waste Management Business Association”; “Tegeta Green Planet”.

• “Institutional strengthening of PROs is necessary to enable them to meet recycling and energy recovery targets. This workshop provides an excellent opportunity for the Ministry to review the operational plans and reporting requirements of EPR organizations in order to successfully continue their activities with joint efforts and contribute to implementing a circular economy in Georgia”. – Solomon Pavliashvili, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
• “The project is a fantastic opportunity for the growing economy of Adjara to get closer to European standards and take important steps to introduce a circular economy in Georgia. We are happy to host an EU project that will help our region develop in this direction”. – Giorgi Surmanidze, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.

Speakers at the event included the project team leader Doug Hickman and project experts Nikola Doychinov, Wim Van Bruesgem and Kees Wielenga. Within the scope of the event, attendees were able to visit EPR materials handling facilities in Batumi and Poti and discuss their experience in the EPR program and waste treatment practices.

• “Significant steps have been taken in the waste management sector with the joint efforts of the Georgian government, international partners and the non-governmental sector. Organisations have been created in Georgia to invest in the recycling sector which will bring jobs, new investments and new industrial activity as well as bringing massive environmental benefits to Georgia and specifically to Batumi.
• This working meeting is an example of a high level of collaboration between different central government ministries from Tbilisi, the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and representatives from the private sector. Our aim is to bring international best practices and lessons learned from other countries to Georgia and see how we can apply those lessons in ways that are relevant in the Georgian context”, highlighted the project team leader Doug Hickman during his presentation.

The workshop was organised under the framework of the project entitled “Support to Waste Management and Development of Circular Economy in Georgia”. The project aims to promote waste prevention and minimisation concepts (sorting/recycling/reuse of wastes) to improve waste management practices and support the introduction of a “Green/Circular Economy” in the society and economic activity of Georgia.

Financed by the European Union, the project is initiated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) of Georgia and is implemented by the consortium of COWI (leading organisation) and the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (national partner).

Media contacts:
Salome Mamasakhlisi, REC Caucasus, +995598886567, salome.mamasakhlisi@rec-caucasus.org