Description
The project addresses the need for better domestic waste management policy with greater awareness and involvement of the public. The project aims at ensuring greater citizen awareness and control via a network interacting with the competent authorities. First, a network of waste management organizations NGOs, sectoral, professional organizations, the academia and the public will be set up. Next, 6 large-scale awareness raising campaigns will be held in at least 10 pilot cities and the results will be presented at 2 discussion forums. Second, free public access to the online waste management information system will be provided in 3 pilot municipalities. Finally, an advocacy campaign for a fair domestic waste fee based on quantity will be held. Discussions and meetings with the stakeholders will be held and the legislative proposals will be submitted. The project will benefit the target groups of policy-makers, NGOs, businesses and the public ensuring better waste management.
Summary of project results
The waste management policy in Bulgaria is implemented at local level via municipal programmes and the municipal waste tax which does not stimulate waste reduction at present. What is needed for sustainable waste management is greater transparency and new approaches to the tax calculation and the methods for waste collection and treatment, adequate policy-making and effort to reduce the generated waste and increase reuse, separate waste collection and recycling. The project aimed at laying the foundation of innovative mechanisms for active civil participation in decision-making about local waste management and provoking a debate about the socially fair cost sharing for public services for waste management. The main target groups were local and national NGOs dealing with environment protection and waste management, in particular. The main participants were also the local administration and the relevant national and regional institutions. In addition to the immediate impact of the outcome of project activities (e.g. the national discussion held on the methods of setting the municipal waste tax, the increased involvement of NGOs in the discussion and in formal and informal committees), we expect that the launched Zero Waste Network will expand its scope and impact both among NGOs and among the local administration and the municipal waste management companies. We expect that the module for public access to the real information about the treated waste will be installed in more regional and municipal systems and sites and will be underlying the adequate opinions and decisions made. For more information, please, visit the website:
http://www.bamee.org/npo-bulgaria.php and the Facebook page of the Zero Waste Network
https://www.facebook.com/nulevi.otpaduci/
Summary of bilateral results