State secretaries' meeting announced the information report “On the development of municipal waste management regions in Latvia after 2020” prepared by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development. It provides for the reform of municipal waste management regions by reviewing the borders and landfill functions of municipal waste regions, switching from ten municipal waste management regions to five in order to make more efficient use of resources and achieve the new waste management objectives.
In order to achieve the waste management objectives, five waste management regions are to be developed, where municipalities are combined on a territorial basis, taking into account the expected waste flows and infrastructure. . The waste disposal and recycling function will continue to be provided in one of the landfill sites in each region, while the rest of municipal waste sites will be restructured into waste management centres, specifically s. In implementing this reform, the necessary waste management functions are maintained in a given region, such as the preparation of waste for recycling and recovery, while at the same time halting the operation of an infrastructure whose maintenance is not economically justified.
Latvia is currently divided into ten waste management regions, with one municipal waste disposal landfill site operating in each region. .
In 2019, 63.8% of municipal waste was disposed of in Latvia at landfill sites. . In order to achieve the objectives set and to dispose of only up to 10% of municipal waste in landfills in 2035, waste management regions are needed that are capable of attracting investment and achieving the objectives pursued. s. In the current situation, with many relatively small waste management regions, some of which cannot ensure the maintenance, development of infrastructure and the provision of appropriate quality services to waste producers, the objectives will not be achieved.
Shared volumes of collected waste will continue to increase, which requires the development of infrastructure for the separate recycling of collected waste and for the preparation and recycling of eligible materials. . Extending local authorities' capacity to cooperate in waste management and creating strong waste management areas will create a management structure for more efficient resource collection and ensure that waste management objectives are met in the long term.
According to the Waste Management Act, municipalities in waste management regions should draw up and approve regional waste management plans by 30 December 2022 for the period until 30 December 2027. . It is therefore essential to develop this reform in order to inform in good time the municipalities, within the waste management region, of which they will continue to organise waste management and work in accordance with the regulatory enactments to ensure that waste targets are achieved.
Information prepared by:
Public Relations Department
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
Tel. .67026533
e-mail: prese@varam.gov.lv