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BULGARIA

Sofia waste management project

The project proposes construction of a landfill, small compost facilities and a mechanical-biological plant (MBT) that will produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for burning in distant cement kilns. The municipality is reluctant to invest in recycling facilities that could help increase poor recycling rates, and alternative advocated by NGOs – the ‘no-burn’ approach – has been neglected, putting Sofia at risk of missing the opportunity to achieve a sustainable, resource-efficient and long-term waste management system.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Most waste incinerator

This region has the highest ratio of municipal waste production in the Czech Republic, so first decreasing waste generation through waste prevention should be the first programs for support. The capacity of the planned incinerator should then decrease accordingly.

Chotíkov municipal waste incinerator

This incenerator would serve Plzen at a capacity of nearly 100 000 tonnes per year, but its location in the nearby village of Chotikov faces strong local opposition. No alternative solutions were assessed, and the general planning proceedings did not include a proper environmental impact assesment process.

Regional integrated centre for recovery of municipal waste for the Moravian–Silesian region

The capacity of this incerator would be built to correspond with the nearly 500 000 annual tons of municipal solid waste produced. Yet installing this much capacity would undermine EU targets for a 50 percent recycling ratio and decreasing the overall amount of municipal solid waste generally. The unpopular incinerator would also be constructed in an area with some of the highest air pollution levels in Europe, a situation which incineration would exacerbate.

POLAND

Kraków waste incinerator

Project costs of the 240000 tonne Krakow waste incinerator have risen year after year and are now almost twice as when originally proposed. The project will lock the city into an expensive waste management system and disadvantage recycling, as the incinerator requires a constant supply of mixed municipal waste. This will contribute to keeping recycling rates low. Similar EU funds investments for waste incinerators are currently being prepared in several other Polish cities.

SLOVAKIA

Plastic waste processing plant in Senica

This plant would process mixed plastic waste and produce both light heating oil and a grit byproduct for use in construction. The environmental impact assessment did not fully explain the production processes however, including the origin of inputs and whether a market exists for outputs. The contract also threatens the sound use of public money, as the municipality bears all project costs including the application for funds, and project implementation and administration. The municipality also commits to provide 4 000 tons of plastic waste annually and faces fines for each missing tonne, even though Senica only produces about 1500 tonnes annually.