Soil Bioremediation Campaign at Dumpsites in Akhaltsikhe and Aspindza Municipalities

On 22 and 23 July 2020, in the frames of the Keep Georgia Tidy Project, Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” organized the soil bioremediation campaigns at dumpsites in Akhaltsikhe City (two locations – The area around the Policlinic and IDP settlement ) and Aspindza City (one location – the area around the bridge ), Samtskhe-Javakheti Region. The personnel of the supervision and clean-up services of Akhaltsikhe and Aspindza Municipalities and local population, total 30 persons, participated in this initiative.

In the frame of campaign the soil sample have been taken for chemical analysis from the dumpsite in Akhaltsikhe and in Aspindza City. The territories were cleaned-up, and soil was bio-remediated with use of clinoptilolite – a cheap raw material available in Georgia. Application of this material into soil improves its quality and chemical content (during certain period) so that various seedlings could be planted in the treated area. As a result, the territory becomes not only tidy, but reinstated as well.

The Keep Georgia Tidy Project aims to attain environmentally conscious generation, reduce pollution from municipal waste (40%) and cut greenhouse gas emissions (10%) in Georgia by 2023 as well as decrease the content of heavy metals by 10% in contaminated soil in targeted areas.

“Keep Georgia Tidy” Project is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs: Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis”, Keep Georgia Tidy and Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth-Georgia, through financial support of the Government of Sweden.