Business community supports the Draft Framework Law on Waste Management

25/ 11/ 2019

Several draft laws on waste management were registered in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in November. At the same time, business supports the draft framework law №2207-1 “On Waste Management” as being in line with EU practices and National Waste Management Strategy. Thus, the European Business Association addressed a letter to the VRU Committee on environmental policy and environmental management asking to recommend the draft law to be included in the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada for the first reading and adopt it with further preparation for the second reading. It is highly important to give an active start to the issue of legislative regulation of waste management, considering the requirements of the relevant EU directives. In Ukraine, about 400 million tons of waste are generated annually, and only 6% of this waste is recycled, which is an extremely low indicator compared to the EU countries, where it is about 40%. The rest of the waste is exported to more than 5 thousand landfills, of which about 5% - are overloaded, and 30% - do not meet environmental safety standards. And, it should be emphasized, the issue of waste is becoming increasingly acute in the country every year. Therefore, it is important to adopt at least a framework document this year. This will help to introduce the basic principles and provisions of European legislation in the field of waste management. We hope that the document will be considered in the of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the nearest future. In 2016 the Government started reforming the sphere of waste management. At the end of 2017, the National Waste Management Strategy and Plan for its realization were developed and approved. In the strategy, there was an observance of the waste hierarchy and the implementation of the extended producer responsibility principle, which is the practice of 26 countries in Europe. At the same time, the issue of waste management still requires legal fixing. First, the adoption of the framework draft law as well as the adoption of nine more sectoral waste management laws that are currently under development.

Thus, the European Business Association addressed a letter to the VRU Committee on environmental policy and environmental management asking to recommend the draft law to be included in the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada for the first reading and adopt it with further preparation for the second reading.

It is highly important to give an active start to the issue of legislative regulation of waste management, considering the requirements of the relevant EU directives.

In Ukraine, about 400 million tons of waste are generated annually, and only 6% of this waste is recycled, which is an extremely low indicator compared to the EU countries, where it is about 40%. The rest of the waste is exported to more than 5 thousand landfills, of which about 5% – are overloaded, and 30% – do not meet environmental safety standards. And, it should be emphasized, the issue of waste is becoming increasingly acute in the country every year.

Therefore, it is important to adopt at least a framework document this year. This will help to introduce the basic principles and provisions of European legislation in the field of waste management. We hope that the document will be considered in the of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the nearest future.

In 2016 the Government started reforming the sphere of waste management. At the end of 2017, the National Waste Management Strategy and Plan for its realization were developed and approved. In the strategy, there was an observance of the waste hierarchy and the implementation of the extended producer responsibility principle, which is the practice of 26 countries in Europe.

At the same time, the issue of waste management still requires legal fixing. First, the adoption of the framework draft law as well as the adoption of nine more sectoral waste management laws that are currently under development.