Strengthening of Municipal Waste Management in Ukraine (2024-2027)
The programme "Strenghtening of Municipal Waste Management in Ukraine (2024-2027)" is a long-term initiative aimed at helping to transform municipal waste management in Ukraine and align with EU-standards.
The program “Strengthening of Municipal Waste Management in Ukraine (2024–2027)”, is a spearheaded by the Swedish Association of Waste Management and Recycling (Avfall Sverige) and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), represents a long-term initiative aimed at helping to transform municipal waste management in Ukraine. Funded by Sida, the comprehensive programme seeks to align Ukraine's municipal waste management practices with EU standards and rules, with major benefits for environmental sustainability, climate protection and quality of life for Ukrainian citizens.
Responding to the Ukrainian government's appeal for assistance in the wake of the Russian full-scale invasion, the programme is designed to support Ukraine's reforms of municipal waste management. It is rooted in a strategic partnership between Avfall Sverige and SALAR, leveraging Swedish expertise for efficient, innovative, and sustainable waste management with a strong commitment to local democracy. The initiative aligns with both the Strategy for Sweden’s Recovery and Reform Cooperation with Ukraine 2023–27 and the EU integration process, with particular emphasis on the green transition and sustainable development.
Purpose of the programme
The programme's rationale stems from a comprehensive situational analysis revealing critical challenges in Ukraine’s waste management sector, including over-reliance on landfills, inadequate recycling, and the absence of coherent national waste management strategies and planning guidelines.
The aim is to catalyse a systemic multi-level reform that introduces more efficient waste collection, recycling, and sustainable waste treatment practices across Ukrainian municipalities. In doing so, the programme seeks to enhance Ukraine’s environmental sustainability, align with EU waste management standards, and foster a culture of responsible waste management among citizens.
Implementation strategy with a focus on Multi-Level Governance and Capacity building
The programme will lead to concrete improvements in municipal waste management throughout Ukraine, with a particular focus on the pilot municipalities. The programme's implementation strategy revolves around two pillars:
Strengthening Multi-Level Governance in Waste Management: enhancing policy frameworks, financing mechanisms, and intergovernmental coordination to support effective national and local implementation of waste management reforms.
Capacity Building at Local and Regional Levels: empowering municipalities through targeted technical assistance, knowledge exchange, and infrastructural support to implement sustainable waste management practices.
An important part of the strategy involves piloting innovative waste management models in selected clusters of municipalities, thus fostering inter-municipal cooperation and transferring Swedish knowledge, experience, and operational expertise. The programme also prioritises inclusivity, ensuring that interventions accommodate the needs of diverse communities and contribute to gender equality and social inclusion.
Background
Today, Ukraine is primarily managing its waste through open landfills. The waste burial system has existed in Ukraine for the past 30 years, and somewhat simplified it involves a fragmented monopoly with different networks of waste carriers. In contrast to many European countries, Ukraine has a significant low level of recycling and recovery of municipal solid waste and a high rate of waste disposal in landfills. The wartime has made the situation even worse, with non-existing collection of waste as well as landfill fires, destruction of infrastructure, intermediate dumps and enormous quantities of debris and demolition waste.
In recent years, some improvement have been implemented, but still, these are to be considered as single bets and investments and some of these efforts may not be in line with EU criteria. In June 2022, Verkhovna Rada (the Parliament) adopted the bill (2207-1D) on a new legal framework for waste management. The law entered into force in July 2023, and it is basically Ukraine's first real waste management reform since independence. The legal framework is based on the requirements of EU directives, and the adoption of the law is seen as a real opportunity to initiate the changes that Ukraine needs, among other things, to meet EU membership requirements.
SALAR and Avfall Sverige as forerunners
SALAR, as a prominent representative of local governments, is in a strong position to help support reforms of the Municipal Solid Waste Sector in Ukraine, through SALAR International that has a long history of working with Ukraine. As the main national stakeholder and association in the field of Waste Management and recycling in Sweden, Avfall Sverige can contribute with knowledge about waste management and exchange the best practices, innovation and ideas. Avfall Sverige also has experience in long term commitments internationally in support of municipal waste management reforms.
Contact
Pontus Förberg
Project Manager
pontus.forberg@skr.se