Meeting on the Development of the Regional Waste Management Plan for Kakheti Region

On 13th December 2021, the next meeting on the development of Kakheti Regional Waste Management Plan (WMP) was held in Telavi City, in the conference room of Esquisse Hotel. The meeting was organized by Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” (GSNE “Orchis”) and Swedish waste management Association of Five Municipalities Gästrike återvinnare, in the frames of the Keep Georgia Tidy Project funded by the Government of Sweden.

The Deputy State Attorney in Kakheti Region Mr. Platon Kalmakhelidze, the Programme Officer of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) Mrs. Khatuna Zaldastanishvili, the Director of GSNE “Orchis” Mrs. Mariam Kimeridze, the Waste Management Expert of Gästrike återvinnare Mr. Per-Olof Hallberg, the Communication Expert of Gästrike återvinnare Mr. Johan Englund, the Waste Management Expert of GSNE “Orchis” Mrs. Khatuna Chikviladze, the working group established in the frames of the mentioned project for the preparation of Kakheti Regional WMP, which comprises the regional administration of Kakheti and representatives of the self-government of all eight municipalities of the region (Telavi, Akhmeta, Kvareli, Gurjaani, Sagarejo, Sighnaghi, Lagodekhi, Dedoplistskaro), total 35 persons participated in the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss aspects of the waste management planning and collaboration between the municipalities of the region in this process, work plan and time-schedule proposed for the preparation of the Regional WMP, and next steps to be undertaken together with Kakheti working group.

Swedish international experts that are involved in the Keep Georgia Tidy Project shared Swedish experience in the area of waste management to the meeting participants – this country is among the worldwide leaders of waste management and has considerable experience in cooperation between municipalities in this sector that enables them to secure competence, share investment costs, develop regional waste management systems and landfills, optimize work, ensure compliance to the national legislation, help each other with common problems, and share ideas/innovations.

The meeting held in Telavi City on 13th December of the current year was preceded by a range of activities, among them meetings carried out together with the regional and municipal authorities during 2019-2021 that were needed to prepare for the development of the Regional WMP and to collect relevant information. The Regional WMP will be drafted in close cooperation with the working group to ensure that this document is realistic, it is acceptable for the regional/ local authorities and waste management company, and the experience of proper waste management planning is accumulated in Kakheti Region.

Kakheti Regional WMP has to be ready at the end of May 2022. The responsibility for the implementation of the Regional WMP lies on the regional and municipal authorities, within their competence.

The meeting on the development of the Regional WMP for Kakheti Region was organized by GSNE “Orchis” and Swedish Association of Five Municipalities Gästrike återvinnare in the frames of the Keep Georgia Tidy Project funded by the Government of Sweden, which is being implemented by GSNE “Orchis” with the support of Georgian Ministries of Environment Protection & Agriculture, Regional Development & Infrastructure, Education & Science, and Culture & Sport, in cooperation with the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia and Environmental Information & Education Centre.