Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Partnership for Source Separation
Municipality of Vratsa<br>Open Society Club
Background
The Municipality of Vratsa has made a successful experiment in which households and legal entities got a 50% to 70% reduction of their solid waste tax in exchange of handing a certain quantity of waste for recycling. Most of the waste collected contained paper, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics and glass. The experiment was developed under the guidance of the Ministry of Environment and Waters as a pilot project that would be replicated in other areas countrywide. In 1999, due to a lack of funds for the purchase of special bags for the participants, the municipal administration had some difficulties related to the development of this successful practice.
The Municipality of Vratsa has made a successful experiment in which households and legal entities got a 50% to 70% reduction of their solid waste tax in exchange of handing a certain quantity of waste for recycling. Most of the waste collected contained paper, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics and glass. The experiment was developed under the guidance of the Ministry of Environment and Waters as a pilot project that would be replicated in other areas countrywide. In 1999, due to a lack of funds for the purchase of special bags for the participants, the municipal administration had some difficulties related to the development of this successful practice.
Practice
The partnership between the Municipality of Vratsa and the Open Society Club in Vratsa led to the development of the project that offered new opportunities for the continuous implementation of the experimented source separation practice.
500 households, two schools and offices that generate paper waste were involved in the initial experiment. As a result of the implementation of the joint project, the number of participants was doubled. The Club provided 10,000 plastic bags in different colors and markings for the different types of waste. The Municipality of Vratsa signed contracts with the participants and the local branch of Phoenix Corp. which was buying the waste. The goals of the project were:
to reduce the amount of waste generated and to utilize useful components;
to improve the environment and reduce health risk to citizens;
to increase public interest in source separation;
to develop an acceptable socio-economic system that could be applied in Vratsa and the other communities within the municipality.
The project was promoted widely by Darik Radio, the local cable TV and the local newspapers. The schools organized children art competition with use of waste materials, children radio programs on environmental issues, recyclable waste collection campaigns and environmental protection seminars. Individual participants and classes involved in these events were awarded prizes and there was a raffle for adults.
The mechanism, incentives, rights and obligations of source separation participants were regulated by a Municipal Council ordinance on the structure and funding of solid waste treatment activities within the Municipality of Vratsa.
The partnership between the Municipality of Vratsa and the Open Society Club in Vratsa led to the development of the project that offered new opportunities for the continuous implementation of the experimented source separation practice.
500 households, two schools and offices that generate paper waste were involved in the initial experiment. As a result of the implementation of the joint project, the number of participants was doubled. The Club provided 10,000 plastic bags in different colors and markings for the different types of waste. The Municipality of Vratsa signed contracts with the participants and the local branch of Phoenix Corp. which was buying the waste. The goals of the project were:
to reduce the amount of waste generated and to utilize useful components;
to improve the environment and reduce health risk to citizens;
to increase public interest in source separation;
to develop an acceptable socio-economic system that could be applied in Vratsa and the other communities within the municipality.
The project was promoted widely by Darik Radio, the local cable TV and the local newspapers. The schools organized children art competition with use of waste materials, children radio programs on environmental issues, recyclable waste collection campaigns and environmental protection seminars. Individual participants and classes involved in these events were awarded prizes and there was a raffle for adults.
The mechanism, incentives, rights and obligations of source separation participants were regulated by a Municipal Council ordinance on the structure and funding of solid waste treatment activities within the Municipality of Vratsa.
Results
In 2000, the Municipality collected the following types of waste:
paper;
aluminum (beer and soft drinks cans, bottle caps, etc.);
plastics (high and low pressure);
lead (batteries);
iron.
As a result of the public promotion and the students seminars and trainings, by June, 2000, the participating 1,000 households with around 2,200 residents and the legal entities had submitted more source separated waste that during the whole 1999.
In 2000, the Municipality collected the following types of waste:
paper;
aluminum (beer and soft drinks cans, bottle caps, etc.);
plastics (high and low pressure);
lead (batteries);
iron.
As a result of the public promotion and the students seminars and trainings, by June, 2000, the participating 1,000 households with around 2,200 residents and the legal entities had submitted more source separated waste that during the whole 1999.
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