The problem of waste in Ukraine is particularly large-scale and significant both due to the dominance of resource – intensive multi-waste technologies in the national economy and due to the lack of adequate response to its challenges for a long time.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, in 2019 in Ukraine (excluding data from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol) generated almost 53 million m3 of household waste, or more than 10 million tons, which are disposed in 6,000 landfills with a total area of almost 9 thousand hectares.
Out of 10 million tons, only 4.1% of waste was recycled and 2% incinerated, the remaining 93.9% (~ 9.39 million tons) was disposed in landfills and dumps.
Significant amounts of waste accumulated in Ukraine and the lack of effective measures to prevent their formation, recycling, recovery and disposal, deepen the environmental crisis and become a brake on the development of the national economy. In simple words, garbage is not recycled, at best, odors are minimized, and all hazardous substances get into groundwater, causing cancer and other diseases.
The low settlement at the legislative level of the waste management issue. The absence of an effective mechanism for managing certain types of waste, the low institutional capacity of public bodies, duplication of powers of state and local authorities, insufficient interagency cooperation, lack of strategic planning lead to an increase in the number of unauthorized dumps and overloaded landfills, landfills that do not meet environmental safety standards.
By signing the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, Ukraine has committed itself to implement the provisions of (Framework) Directive 2008/98 / EU of the European Parliament and Council dated by 19 November 2008 “On waste and repeal of certain directives” into national law.
Addressing the critical situation with the generation, accumulation, collection and disposal of waste, characterized by the further development of environmental threats and the implementation of the Association Agreement, necessitates the adoption of many laws that would regulate this area (landfill tariff, treatment tariff; responsibility of manufacturers and suppliers of packaging).
Among the priority ones are the Draft Law “On Waste Management” #2207-1-d dated 04.06.2020 and the Draft Law of Ukraine “On Packaging and Packaging Waste”. The draft Law “On Waste Management” 72207-1-d defines the following important points:
- the waste management hierarchy is introduced ;
- the concept of extended producer responsibility system is introduced;
- clearly defined entities in the field of waste management, their rights and responsibilities, powers of executive authorities and local governments;
- the list of terms used in the field of waste management has been expanded;
- the concept of waste incineration plants and co-incineration plants is established;
- features of functioning of the municipal system of management of household waste and the status of its operator are defined;
- the “polluter pays” principle is established – the costs of waste prevention, collection, transportation, and treatment, including the costs of maintaining waste management infrastructure facilities, are covered by the waste generator and owner;
- the concept of “Payment for the service of household waste management” is introduced, which is determined based on the tariff for the service of household waste management and the norms of service provision. The tariff for the service includes tariffs for services for collection, removal, recovery, and disposal of household waste. Tariffs for services for collection, removal, recovery, disposal of household waste are determined and set separately by type of household waste (mixed, bulky and repair, bio waste, and waste of green plantations, other specific types of household waste, separate collection of which is provided by regional and local waste management plans);
- explanation and procedure for implementation of the system of separate collection of household waste through Municipal points of separate collection of household waste;
- If the customer investment project is the local government, he undertakes to provide the prescribed income investment agreement of waste at the facility and setting the tariff, which provides a return on investment during the period of implementation of the project and payment of compensation in case of violation of these obligations.
