Government and Donors Inaugurate the New Separated Waste Collection Scheme and Recycling Centre in Lezhë

A new waste management plan and a new recycling centre are established in Lezha in one of the first ground-breaking examples of modern and innovative solutions to urban waste management problems. Representatives from the Embassy of the Netherlands and Swiss Cooperation, as well as from central and local government announced today the start of a new waste disposal scheme in Lezhë. 
Friday, 20 April 2012, Tirana – An inauguration event took place today to launch a new waste collection scheme and a recycling centre in Lezhë. The event was held by the Municipality of Lezhë together with the Urban Research Institute as an official recognising of the newly established waste management plan and recycling centre. Opening speeches were given by the Mayor of Lezha, Mr. Viktor Tushaj, the Minister of Environment, Mr. Fatmir Mediu, the Dutch Ambassador, H.E. Henk van Den Dool, and the Swiss Cooperation’s Director, Ms. Isabel Perich.
On behalf of the Embassy of the Netherlands, Ambassador van Den Dool said: “This is definitely an important step ahead in the right direction. However, the challenges are still many and continuous coordination and cooperation among different stakeholders is at the heart of the matter, in order to make all of Albania a cleaner place, where the problem of waste and pollution is properly addressed“. He emphasised that this project was “live evidence that all the potentials to really make a difference on a larger scale are there” and that he was glad to see more funds and resources going towards such initiatives.
“Through the waste management plan and the recycling centre in Lezhë a new standard has been set in environmental and sustainable development in Albania”, said the Swiss Cooperation’s Country Director, Ms. Isabel Perich. “We are happy that we could support this initiative”, said Ms. Perich. She mentioned that this initiative is an “excellent example of Public-Private Partnership with clear benefits for the Municipality, private businesses and the public at large”. After urging partner institutions to cooperate for further work in this area, the Swiss Cooperation’s Director said she felt “confident that Lezha will be a better place to live for citizens and businesses and it has set a new model of partnership that can be used elsewhere in Albania”. 
“I would also like to express the support and consideration of the Albanian Government for all efforts done in Lezhë with regard to waste administration, turning your city into an example and model to be followed also by other cities”, said the Minister of Environment, Mr. Fatmir Mediu while also stressing that the Ministry “has set waste differentiation as a priority which requires task execution from each respective institution”. The Government of Albania has designed a National Strategy for Integrated Waste Management which foresees the reduction and reuse of urban waste.
Whereas the Mayor of Lezha, Mr. Viktor Tushaj thanked the international partners and mentioned several benefits that the new waste managemen scheme and the recycling centre will bring for Lezha’s environment, business climate, touristic potential and overall living conditions.

An exhibition titled “Lezha: Our Clean City” was shown to participants documenting the situation as it was before and during the project’s implementation phases. After that, Municipality and Urban Research Institute staff accompanied guests to the newly established Centre for Separation of Recyclable Waste and a city tour to visit differentiated waste collection points.
This initiative started with a project titled ‘Participatory Plastic Waste Cleaning and Waste Management in Lezha Municipality’ funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands and implemented by the Urban Research Institute and the Municipality. After the initial stage was set successfully, they also involved the Swiss Cooperation through its decentralisation and local development programme. This made possible more funding and technical assistance for designing a new waste management scheme that includes separation of recyclable waste at the deposit source, capacity building and public-private partnership building at local level, and the establishment of the recycling centre.
The recycling centre will process approximately 7,500 ton of waste each year, benefitting nearly 45,000 inhabitants in Lezha and improving the environment, touristic potential and business potential of the city. It’s one of the first examples of this kind in Albania which has the potential to be replicated also in other urban centres of the country. This approach to waste management contributes towards achieving reduction of waste dumping, improved cleanliness and hygiene, and a more sustainable solution for the emerging environmental problems in Albania.
Another important aspect of this project was the increase of public awareness and education among citizens in Lezhë. This was done by involving public institutions and business companies in demonstrating activities in order to instill confidence and show that the new waste management plan can function if there is participation from the public in one hand, and institutional effectiveness on the other.

For more information please contact:

Elda Bagaviki
National Programme Officer, Swiss Cooperation in Albania,
elda.bagaviki@sdc.net
0682060482

Elga Mitre
Programme Officer, Embassy of the Netherlands,
elga.mitre@minbuza.nl