A challenge towards
sustainable Europe is the Waste Policy in Ukraine. It is well known,
that more then 30 billion of tons of waste is already accumulated in the
country or 50 thousands tons per 1 square kilometre. The target area of
the work is Dnipropetrovsk region, which is one of the most
unsustainable territories in Europe, where accumulated more than 9
billion of tons of industrial waste. The region produces 42% of black
metallurgy, contains 14% of chemical industries and produces 8% of
machine building in Ukraine. Municipal landfill is a common practice for
different cities and rural territories in Ukraine. [1]
According to modern definition green technologies
is the application of the environmental science to conserve the natural
environment and resources, and to curb the negative impacts of human
involvement. Sustainable development is the core of green technologies.
When applying sustainable development as a solution for environmental
issues, the solutions need to be socially equitable, economically
viable, and environmentally sound. [2, 3]
Disposing of waste in a landfill involves burying waste to dispose of
it, and this remains a common practice in different regions of Ukraine.
Poorly-managed landfills create a number of environmental impacts such
as wind-blown litter, attraction of vermin, and generation of toxic
liquids. Other products of organic waste are methane and carbon dioxide
which cause the serious risk of dangerous climate change. At the same
time advanced green technologies are not popular in Ukraine.
The methods to calculate pay-back time and do cost benefit analysis
are not commonly used. Another product of landfills is gas (mostly
composed of methane and carbon dioxide), which is produced as organic
waste breaks down anaerobically. This gas creates problems, kills
surface vegetation, and moreover it is a greenhouse gas.
In that conditions it is necessary to develop multi-sectoral activity
for promotion of the green waste management system in Dnipropetrovsk
region. Promotion of sustainable way of living in terms of
implementation of the environmental national legislation and development
of regional strategies and policies is required. Citizens should to be
more concern with environmental protection, sustainable production and
consumption, recycling, waste management and energy saving.
The purpose of the work is to create the favourable environment for
development of the green waste management system according to the modern
concept. The concept in terms of waste minimisation includes reducing,
reusing and recycling. It is directed to extract the maximum practical
benefits from products towards minimum amount of waste.
One of the essential strategic part of the concept is Extended
Producer Responsibility, which promotes the integration of all costs
associated with products throughout their life cycle, including disposal
into the market price of the product. This means that the enterprises
are required to be responsible for the products after their useful life
as well as during manufacture. Polluter pays for the damage caused to
the environment – this is Polluter Pays Principle – waste generator has
to pay for its appropriate disposal. [4]
Talking about the strategy of recycling we have to define what kind
of recycling should be developed? The process of extracting resources or
value from waste is generally referred to recycling as recover or
reuse the material. There are different methods by which waste is
recycled: the raw materials may be extracted, and the calorific content
of the waste may be converted to electricity.
The process of extracting resources or value from waste is generally
referred to as recycling, meaning to recover or reuse the material.
There are different methods by which waste material is recycled: the raw
materials may be extracted and reprocessed, or the calorific content of
the waste may be converted to electricity.
Figure 1. Waste management technologies options
We would like to describe the energy recovering ways. In the figure 1
the least favoured and the most favoured options are shown The energy
content of waste products can be utilised by using them directly as a
combustion fuel, or indirectly by processing them into another type of
fuel. Recycling through thermal treatment ranges from using waste as a
fuel source for cooking or heating, to fuel for boilers to generate
steam and electricity in a turbine. Pyrolysis and gasification are two
related forms of thermal treatment where waste materials are heated to
high temperatures with limited oxygen availability. [4, 5]
Physical reprocessing refers to the widespread collection and reuse
of everyday waste materials. These are collected and sorted into common
types so that the raw materials from which the items are made can be
reprocessed into new products. Material for recycling may be collected
separately from general waste using dedicated bins or sorted directly
from mixed waste streams.
Biological reprocessing is important component of the system. Organic
waste materials (plant material, food scraps, paper products) can be
recycled using biological composting and digestion processes to
decompose the organic matter. The resulting organic material is then
recycled as mulch or compost for agricultural or landscaping purposes.
In addition, waste gas from the process (such as methane) can be used
for generating electricity.
The activity of the work should combine scientific, industrial and
public work. Investigation on waste management market in the region will
be targeted to implementation of the recycling technologies on the
regional level. Drafting proposals for regional waste management program
will be a result of the research.
The research is the essential part of the work. It includes
investigation on how to decouple waste increasing (in all sectors) from
economic growth and put more emphasis on waste prevention and re-use and
how to secure the investment in infrastructure needed to divert waste
from landfill, cost benefit analysis and the development methods to
calculate pay-back time for investments. Environmental benefit from
investment, to recycling of resources and recovery of energy will be
investigated as well. [5]
Another part of the work is promoting waste recycling for consumers
by increasing level of knowledge of local community. We prove that both
business and individual households will have the opportunity to reduce
their own waste, purchase products and services that generate less waste
and reduce environmental impacts.
Capacity building, training, discussions, advocacy and expertise are
common methods for raising awareness of all sectors, including
government. Local and regional authorities should be engaged into the
process to tackle unsustainable patterns with policy instruments using
UK good experience, information and skills in preparation and
implementation strategies and policies. Local and regional government
will enable the compliance with international agreements (Landfill
Directive) and Ukrainian national legislation on waste management. As a
long term target for our local authorities could be providing convenient
recycling services for their residents and commercial customers and
advice on how to reduce waste. [4, 5]
Involving management of industrial enterprises has to broad their
vision on possible environmental-friendly development of their
enterprises, enable to participate in different programmes and projects
on waste management and recycling. Important component of the work is
developing partnership between Ukrainian and UK enterprises. Industrial
enterprises have to make products using more recycled materials and less
newly extracted raw materials. They have to produce products that are
less wasteful and take responsibility for the environmental impact of
their products throughout their life. This includes reducing of
packaging. [6, 7, 8]
Authorities, public concerned, experts and business form Ukraine and
from UK should be involved through participation in the events,
investigation process and negotiations, where stakeholders’ interests
will be determined for further effective collaboration to develop
large-scale industrial and building projects.
Figure 2. The waste management system in UK
What outputs and outcomes of the work will we achieve? Increased
waste prevention and re-use, enhanced investment in waste management
infrastructure, established recycling of resources and recovery of
energy, Improved recycling services for public and commercial customers,
involved UK & Ukraine different parties (authorities, public
concerned, experts and business), achieved effective collaboration for
developing large-scale industrial and construction projects.
We also taking into account key risks: unstable political situation
in the City Council, City Administration, absence of clear vision of the
local authorities concerning development of the waste management, rapid
increasing of the lands cost, conflicts between regional and local
authorities, different approaches of regional and local government
regarding the waste taxes, absence of clear tenders procedures on waste
market, different interests and opinions of citizens concerning waste
management issue.
Nevertheless we are confident that only green technologies
are the key principles for governmental policy of the waste management
in Dnipropetrovsk region as well as in Ukraine. Its promotion and
implementation will support Ukraine in the European integration
processes.
Concerning waste management policy in Europe, Environment
Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: «Uncontrolled disposal of waste and
untreated urban waste water present serious hazards, which is one of the
reasons rules have been adopted by the EU to ensure the highest levels
of protection for citizens and the environment.” [8].
Pavlo Khazan
References
1.Методические подходы к выбору стратегии устойчивого развития территории. Под научн. Ред. А.Г.Шапаря. Днепропетровск, 1996.
2.http://wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia, 2009
3.http://zeleni.biz. Ukrainian innovative company Green Technologies, 2009
4.Waste Strategy for England 2007. Executive Summary. Published by the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. London, 2008
5.Consultation on the Incentives for Recycling by Households. Published
by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. London, 2007
6.Sustainable development of Prydniprovya region. Strategy, indicators
and action plans. A.Lytvynenko, P.Khazan, O.Osborne, J.Savage,
O.Angurets. MELP/West Den. Dnipropetrovsk, 2003
7.Програма дій „Порядок денний на ХХІ століття” / К.: Інтелсфера, 2000
8.http://europa.eu. Official portal of European Union, 2009