The key theme of the 2020 Forum is the development and implementation of regional Waste Management Programs: issues and best practices.
The forum brought together more than 300 participants from all regions of Ukraine, including: MPs, scientists, representatives of public authorities and local governments, united territorial communities, environmental NGOs, utilities and business structures, of which – 85 participants took participation in the Forum online.
Representatives of public authorities and local governments, scientists, business structures working in the field of waste management, manufacturers of machinery and equipment for waste processing, institutions working in the field of environmental safety and environmental protection, environmental NGOs gathered for the first time for discussion of waste management issues in Ukraine at the national level in 2013, the National Forum in 2020 for the eighth time in a row brings together participants from all regions of Ukraine.
The event is organized by the All-Ukrainian Ecological League. The forum was held with the assistance of the Parliament Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Council, Si Group Consort. Ltd. », Center for Environmental Education and Information.
The purpose of the Forum is to identify problems and ways in Ukraine to overcome the critical situation in the field of municipal and industrial waste management at the regional level, implementation of environmental initiatives and projects, promoting investment in waste recycling, implementation of environmentally friendly, resource and energy efficient technologies in all sectors. economy, promoting cooperation between public authorities, local governments, NGOs, science, business, the formation of the regulatory framework in the field of waste management, environmental protection, the introduction of the principles of sustainable development in Ukraine.
During the opening of the Forum, Tetyana Tymochko, Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Ecological League, stressed the importance of integrated waste management for the balanced development of our country. It is important to introduce a system of separate collection and processing of waste on the basis of the principle of extended producer responsibility to ensure its effective economic and legal mechanisms. An extraordinary threat to the environment is posed by landfills and landfills, of which there are about 7,000 in Ukraine, according to official information. as well as the promotion of best practices are extremely relevant. Roman Shakhmatenko, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Andriy Malovany, Head of the State Ecological Inspectorate of Ukraine, Ruslan Martsinkiv, Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Roksolana Jura, Mayor of Burshtyn made welcoming speeches.
During the First Plenary Session “Development and Implementation of Regional Waste Management Programs: Issues and Best Practices” Andriy Plikhtyak, Head of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, presented a draft Regional Waste Management Plan in Ivano-Frankivsk region until 2030. The regional plan is intended to be an instruction, the implementation of which will allow a comprehensive approach to the problem and implement best practices in the field of waste management. This can become a reality provided that adequate legal support and sufficient financial resources are implemented at the national level. The purpose of developing the Regional Plan is to ensure waste management in the region, taking into account the provisions of the Development Strategy of Ivano-Frankivsk region until 2027.
Also, directors and representatives of departments, departments of ecology and natural resources at the regional regional state administrations presented their own experience in the management of solid waste in the regions.
Problems of normative and legal provision of waste management, improvement of organizational and economic mechanism of greening of production, questions of the complex approach to the decision of a problem of collecting and processing of waste. in Ukraine were the focus of the participants of the Second Plenary Session “Legal Regulation and Legislative Initiatives for Household and Industrial Waste Management in Ukraine».
During the presentation panel “International Experience of Waste Management” international programs and projects in the field of waste management in Austria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and other countries were presented.
Participants of the round table “Development and implementation of measures for hazardous waste management (in particular, medical waste in COVID)” during the discussion focused on methods of medical waste management in modern conditions, also considered separate collection of solid waste and hazardous waste disposal, including unusable pesticides and agrochemicals.
There was also a working meeting of the Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine, MPs of Ukraine, directors of departments and heads of departments of ecology and natural resources of the regional state administration on the redistribution of environmental tax in 2021.
During the round table “Environmentally friendly technologies for recycling and reclamation of areas affected by the disposal of household and industrial waste” participants had the opportunity to discuss important issues related to improving the mechanism of waste management in Ukraine based on the principles of circular economy, separation, recycling and reuse of polymer-containing waste paper, applied aspects of biochar application, use of fallen leaf biomass as an alternative energy source, etc.
During the round table “Information policy and education in the field of waste management” were presented regional developments in the field of environmental education and training: the experience of cities in implementing the principles of conscious management of solid waste and their sorting rules, participation in public monitoring of the environment, experience international educational programs on waste management.
Participants of the round table “Problems of agricultural waste management of animal origin and the introduction of environmentally friendly processing technologies” discussed ways to minimize the generation of environmentally hazardous waste, technological regulations for waste management in livestock complexes, methods of composting the organic component of household waste in private homes. also suburban areas of cities. Emphasis was placed on the need to develop flexible mechanisms for providing state support in the field of animal waste management and the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies, including the construction of veterinary plants.
The work of the discussion platform “Analysis of the problems of practical implementation of the basic principles of the Law of Ukraine” On Environmental Impact Assessment “made it possible to identify and discuss problems of practical implementation of the Law.
Participants of the round table “Negative impact of landfills on natural ecosystems and human life” discussed issues of monitoring the man-made load on water bodies of solid waste disposal sites, environmental risks of landfills for the environment and human health.
During the excursion to the Hutsulshchyna National Nature Park, the participants of the discussion panel “Problematic issues of functioning of nature protection territories and NPF objects in Ukraine and ways to solve them” took place during the discussion. and local authorities on the preservation of valuable natural areas.
The participants also visited the Halytsky National Nature Park, which has more than 40 valuable natural, environmental and recreational natural complexes and objects.
During the Forum, participants had the opportunity to visually get acquainted with the equipment of the existing sorting line (Rybne).
The participants adopted the Resolution of the Forum and an appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Parliament of Ukraine, relevant ministries and departments. These final documents address the importance and urgency of problematic waste management issues.
The participants of the National Forum expressed hope for the successful implementation of regional waste management plans and further cooperation between the authorities, scientists and the public to protect the environment of Ukraine.