The waste generated by the population should be maximally transformed into secondary raw material so as to create other products given that the natural resources on the planet are being used up. To increase the quantity of recycled waste, the local public authorities should take measures, including by establishing public-private partnerships, suggested Iuliana Cantaragiu, expert of the National Environmental Center.

In a news conference at IPN, Iuliana Cantaragiu said the legislation entrusts the local public administration with the task of creating an efficient waste collection system and of ensuring conditions for the separate collection of waste in stages, including by providing lots for the purpose.

According to the expert, the municipal authorities in Chisinau only transport and bury waste at the waste dump in Țânțăreni and are often in conflict with people from this village. “One of the solutions is to bury a part of the waste. But until then we should maximally recycle. Secondly, we should co-incinerate and what remains, mainly the organic fraction, should be fermented by a solution we should develop. Inert waste that represents about 10% of the total waste should be minimally buried. This is how things should normally stand,” stated Iuliana Cantaragiu.

The activist noted that in Chisinau there is a company that sorts waste and the business was developed with own funds. On the other hand, the municipal enterprise responsible for waste collection insists on building a waste sorting plant itself. “Our waste generation market is very small for such a business to be viable from economic viewpoint. There is no space for two companies to do the same thing. If they do so, they will both go bankrupt and we will face a bigger problem than at present. I consider a solution is for the municipal operator, together with this company, to establish a public-private partnership to extend the activity and satisfy all the needs of the municipality of Chisinau,” stated Iuliana Cantaragiu.

She also said that an obstacle to waste collection is the waste disposal tubes exiting now in about 1,700 apartment buildings in Chisinau.

Recently, the Chisinau Municipal Council examined a draft decision to eliminate these tubes and set up waste collection areas. A number of 25 councilors voted in favor. The Socialist councilors said the procedures were violated and refused to communicate the vote. The chair of the meeting stated that the Socialists didn’t take part in the vote and declared the decision approved. For their part, the Socialist councilors warned they will challenge the decision.