The SMART WASTE Action Plan for Bulgaria prepared by BAMEE is now available!
The analysis of the Operational programme Environment 2014-2020 (OPE) in Bulgaria showed that it lacks a specific support to innovation in waste management systems. Indeed, this policy instrument supports the development of landfills and the system relies mainly on the subsequent separation of mixed municipal waste. Although the support in the Waste sector (Priority Axis 2 of OPE) is in line with the needs in the area of municipal waste management, the target set for increasing waste recycling capacity is not ambitious enough given the funds allocated for this purpose.
Thanks to the SMART WASTE project, BAMEE worked on improving the structure of demonstration projects for development of new, non-traditional successful waste management interventions funded as pilot scheme within the OP Environment Axis 2 Waste.
The Action of the Action Plan for Bulgaria consists in "Demonstration projects in waste management for increased recycling and re-use capacity on municipal level".
Several activities took place as early as November 2019, including the organisation of thematic workshops, the elaboration of methodology for the development of plans and models for separate collection and recycling of household waste, adopting SMART WASTE Good Practices. Currently, a communication campaign for awareness raising among beneficiary municipalities is taking place and will be summarised in a form of a toolkit to be used by more municipalities.
In a second step, from this summer, the demonstration project will be monitored. Results will serve as a basis to develop recommendations to Program Environment 2021-2027 on issues like effective awareness raising campaigns among citizens and businesses on municipal level related to smart waste management. A national event on waste management will also be organised in the second part of 2022 to strengthen Bulgarian Municipalities cooperation in applying innovative approaches in waste management.
Read more on how recycling and re-use capacity at municipal level will be increased in the Action Plan Bulgaria.
