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Summary of Armenia Waste Sector Reform Plan

Core Content

The Armenia Waste Sector Reform Plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to improve the solid waste management (SWM) sector in the Republic of Armenia (RA) in alignment with the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Union (EU). The plan is designed to address major challenges in the legal, institutional, operational, and financial frameworks of the SWM sector, aiming to create a sustainable and efficient system that meets international standards.

Main Objectives

• To improve and expand waste management services in Armenia.
• To establish a legal, institutional, and financial framework that supports sustainable waste management.
• To ensure compliance with EU legislation and promote the polluter-pays principle and extended producer responsibility (EPR).
• To enhance public health and environmental protection through better waste management practices.

Key Challenges

The waste sector in Armenia faces three major challenges:

1. Legal and Institutional Framework

   • Gaps in legislation regarding the waste management hierarchy, polluter-pays principle, and EPR.
   • Lack of regional planning and fragmented institutional roles.
   • Inadequate data management and reporting systems.

2. Solid Waste Operations and Service Delivery

   • All municipal waste is currently disposed of in uncontrolled dumpsites, with no engineered facilities or environmental protection measures.
   • Inefficient waste collection, with most cities still using outdated equipment.
   • No formal system for recycling and recovery; source separation is limited and donor-driven.
   • No biowaste management system in place; biodegradable waste constitutes 50-60% of total municipal waste.
   • Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is often mixed with municipal waste, posing environmental and health risks.

3. Financing and Cost Recovery

   • Current waste fees cover only 70% of operating costs, with the remaining supported by subsidies.
   • The polluter-pays principle is not yet implemented, leading to unfair cost distribution.
   • Waste fees have not been updated since 2011 and have lost real value due to inflation.
   • The financing gap is significant, with an estimated annual shortfall of around 15.5 million USD.
   • Capital investment needs are estimated at 115-145 million USD, including 65-80 million USD for new sanitary landfills.

Key Considerations and Principles

• Progressive reform: Changes in the waste management system should be implemented incrementally to allow for sustainable development.
• Cost recovery: Financial sustainability requires full cost recovery through user charges, not subsidies.
• Polluter-pays principle: Waste management costs should be attributed to waste producers and holders.
• Affordability: Waste fees should not exceed 1% of average household income to ensure affordability.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): EPR schemes should be introduced to incentivize recycling and recovery.
• Full lifecycle costing: A comprehensive costing mechanism must be established for landfills, including closure and after-care costs.

Reform Plan Overview

Short-Term Steps (2024-2027)

• Improve the legal framework: Amend the Law on Waste, adopt a Government Decision on landfill construction, and repeal outdated waste tariff ceilings.
• Enhance waste management planning: Update the national strategy, develop regional waste management plans, conduct a national waste composition survey, and prepare a strategy for reducing biodegradable waste to landfill.
• Achieve cost recovery: Implement depreciation accounting, establish methodological guidance for waste fees based on the polluter-pays principle, and introduce financial security for landfill closure and after-care.
• Improve waste disposal: Establish regional sanitary landfills and develop a comprehensive plan for dumpsite closure.
• Strengthen institutional arrangements: Streamline licensing and permitting, and ensure adequate financial and technical support for waste management projects.

Medium-Term Steps (2028-2031)

• Introduce EPR schemes: Implement EPR for different waste categories to support source separation and recycling.
• Develop waste recycling and recovery systems: Establish biowaste management systems and a CDW management system.

Key Milestones and Timeline

• Short-term milestones (2024-2027): Legal amendments, regional planning, cost recovery mechanisms, and landfill establishment.
• Medium-term milestones (2028-2031): Implementation of EPR schemes and development of recycling and recovery systems.
• Timeline: Detailed in Table 3 and Table 4, outlining the specific activities and their implementation periods.

Waste Generation Forecast

• 2024: Estimated municipal waste generation is over 720,000 tons.
• 2043: Waste is expected to increase by 12.8%, reaching about 820,000 tons annually.
• Average generation rate: 280 kg/person/year.

Climate Benefits

• The reform plan includes measures that offer significant climate co-benefits, particularly through the development of sanitary landfills with methane capture.
• A case study in Gyumri estimates a cumulative reduction of 429,000 tons of CO2 equivalent over 15 years, with a marginal abatement cost of $36 per ton.

Conclusion

The Armenia Waste Sector Reform Plan provides a roadmap for transforming the SWM sector to meet international standards and EU commitments under CEPA. It emphasizes the need for legal reforms, institutional coordination, improved waste operations, and sustainable financing. By implementing these steps, Armenia can enhance its waste management services, protect public health and the environment, and contribute to climate change mitigation.