The project “Integrated Solid Waste Management Kutaisi” aims at sustainably enhancing the solid waste management system of the Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi/Kvemo Svaneti region. The project consists of the following components: a new sanitary landfill (first construction phase including all infrastructure facilities)complying with EU environmental construction and operation standards including mobile equipment for operation of the new landfill, a material recovery facility (sorting for recyclables), a system of transfer stations and related long distance transport equipment (long distance transport trucks and containers), waste collection containers for improvement and extension of waste collection and transport services in the project area, street sweeping equipment, and consultancy services for the implementation of the project.
An initiative meeting of all the stakeholders was held today at Holiday-Inn Tbilisi within the framework of the project. Among the participants was Nodar Javakhishvili – the Minister of the regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Gigla Agulashvili – the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, and the representatives of the Ministry of Finances of Georgia, consulting companies (PEM and ERM), KfW, Kutaisi municipality, and Ltd. “Solid Waste management Company of Georgia.”
Cooperation issues and future project activities were the topic of discussion at the meeting. Furthermore, the consulting company ERM presented a presentation of accomplished works, PEM representatives presented information about status-quo, planned trainings, and activities for next 4 years, Ms. Marion Kneesch (Head of Urban and Infrastructural Unit at KfW) overviewed the current situation.
The total project budget is 26 million Euros, out of which 20 million Euros is a state loan provided by KfW, 2 million Euros is a grant from NIF, and 4 million Euros is a local contribution.
The overall project implementation period is 4 years (2014 – 1018).
