Promoting investments in modern facilities for waste recovery through recycling, reuse and/or extraction of secondary raw materials and energy

Published on November 11, 2019

Regulatory and economic/financial instruments: •Clear definition of the responsibilities of municipalities concerning waste management, including recycling targets. The Waste Management Act stipulates that municipalities have a responsibility for household and construction waste management, including the setting of quantitative targets for biodegradable waste. From 2014, municipalities are obliged to organize separate collection of biodegradable waste. •Legal requirement for municipalities to provide a system for separate collection of plastic, paper, glass and metal, in each settlement with more than 5 000 inhabitants. •Legal requirement for the municipalities to provide a system for separate collection of packaging waste in every settlement with a population of over 5 000 inhabitants. •Introduced economic instruments for stimulating the municipalities to improve preparation for re-use and recycling of waste paper and cardboard, metal, plastics and glass from the household waste and to reduce the amount of household wastes going to landfill, as those who meet specified targets are exempt from 50% of the charges due for waste disposal. •Introduced legal requirement for the administrative, economic, educational, business and other similar businesses that generate waste to separately collect waste paper and cardboard, plastic, glass and metal. •Municipalities have an obligation to provide waste sites for collection of hazardous and bulky wastes from the households as a free service offered to the citizens in settlements with over 10 000 inhabitants. •Provided by law an opportunity for municipalities to use the accumulated amount of waste disposal charges (deduction paid by municipalities per ton of disposed waste) to finance investment costs for household waste recycling and other recovery facilities. • The legislation introduces the extended producer responsibility principle and provides for responsibilities of the persons placing on the market products, after use of which is generated waste, to organize separate collection, reuse, recycling and recovery. In the scope of the obligations is achieving the targets for recycling and recovery, which may be met individually, or through participation in collective systems, represented by recovery organizations.

Operational Programme "Environment " 2014 -2020 as part of the implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) of the EU in Bulgaria provides financial support for: •Design and construction of centers for re-use, repair and preparation for re-use, including delivery of facilities and equipment for the activity; •Design and construction of installations for preliminary treatment of municipal waste; •Delivery of necessary equipment and facilities, as well as equipment for separate collection of biodegradable and green waste; •Design and construction of anaerobic and/or composting installations for separately collected biodegradable and/or green waste; •Design and construction of installation for waste recovery – Third phase of integrated Sofia Municipality's project for municipal waste treatment facilities for Sofia; •Design and construction of adjoining infrastructure to the above listed installations (e.g. power supply, road, water supply) serving only the sites/installations; •Implementation of demonstration/pilot projects for collecting, synthesising, disseminating and implementing new, non-traditional successful waste management interventions, good practices and management approaches in field of waste as well as introduction of novel technologies, as well as organisation of information campaigns focused on the waste prevention and the formation of "zero waste" society. Moving to more circular economic models promises important benefits for the Bulgarian economy. It would allow the country to rise to the current and future challenges of global pressure on resources and rising insecurity of supply. Pumping resources back into productive use again and again, cutting waste and reducing dependence on uncertain supplies is a direct route to improving resilience and competitiveness. By helping to decouple economic growth from resource use and its impacts, it offers the prospect of sustainable growth that will last. By maintaining the value of the materials and energy used in products in the value chain for the optimal duration and by minimising waste and resource use, the circular economy can promote competitiveness, innovation, a high level of protection for humans and the environment, and bring major economic benefits, thus contributing to growth and job creation. It can also provide consumers with more durable and innovative products that provide monetary savings and an increased quality of life.