Objective: evaluation of the current situation in the sphere of solid waste utilization in the Republic of Karelia and selection of priority measures aimed at improvement of the waste treatment system.
Participants: ANO «Energy Efficiency Centre», Nordic Environmental Finance Corporation (NEFCO), Poyry Enviromental (Finalnd) and Committee for reformation of housing services of the Republic of Karelia.
Funding: 100 % NEFCO.
Domestic waste in Petrozavodsk is collected in old rusty metal bins some of which do not have lids. Waste is not separated except cardboard, fluorescent lamps (collected separately) and wood which is sorted out at the landfill and used in energy generation. Returnable bottles and jars are collected on occasional basis.
The city landfill occupies the total space of 36 hectares and is 6 km away from the shore of Lake Onego. A 12 km long access way to the landfill is in porr condition and has a system of old drainage channels surrounded by forest. The landfill is not covered properly and open for precipitation.
The city administration intends to modernize the waste utilization system, broaden the application of waste recycling and source separation as well as improve the methods of waste depositing at the landfill.
• The project will have cross-border environmental effect (on athmospheric air and water) and help the city meet the requirements of environmental norms of Russian and the EU. Improvement of the condition of the water envitronment will contribute to quality increase of local water (from small rivers flowing into Lake Onego) and to the improvement of the state of the environment in the Gulf of Finland in the long-term. Thus the project will conduce to the achievement of the objectives of the HELCOM Action plan for the Baltic Sea.
• Improvement of waste separation, covering the landfill and methane collection will allow for the reduction of the amount of waste by 228 thousand cubic meters.