In the world, there are many cities adopting sustainable waste treatment systems. Though not very aesthetic, it may play a crucial role in making cities greener in the long-term. Waste is rarely seen by many as a key component of the greener life. However, the use of innovative strategies for waste management may offer a highly efficient way of addressing environmental issues.
In 2017, Ecopartnership NGO developed an integrated electrical/electronic waste management strategy for Puchavičy District, which helped plan establishment of a system of collection of such waste. Many planned activities were accomplished with support from the EU-funded project "Strengthening Waste Management Services for the Rural Population of Puchavičy District, Minsk Region".
In 2018, an electronic/electrical waste collection site was officially opened in Marjina Horka. The facility establishment makes the e-waste and electrical equipment collection system more convenient for the residents. One can take all accumulated old equipment, as well as pre-sorted plastics, glass, mercury lamps and paper to the specialized site. Now, the residents do not have to wait for the municipal services to pick up their sorted waste. The site consists of three units marked with special stickers/indicators helping to find out easily, what can be deposited, and where.
The facility emergence is only one of the project activities. In the last 2.5 years, 54 battery recycling containers were placed in public locations, a minivan was procured for picking up electronic and electrical waste in rural areas, a bulldozer was procured for eliminating illegal dumps; in all, they make the district waste collection system more convenient and eco-friendly.
Green waste composting bins were installed in 6 educational institutions; they help the schools obtain a valuable fertilizer instead of sending fallen leaves and cut grass to the landfill.
The project provides for large-scale awareness-raising activities for the local community. Several campaigns on exchange of old appliances for bags, baseball caps, children's books and volunteer cleaning services were arranged, and the project training site functioned during public events. Contests of drawings, handcrafts, slogans and video clips were organized for schoolchildren. One of the children's drawings serves as the basis for the octopus-shaped project logo currently displayed on the project brochures, billboards, booklets and promotional products. Moreover, Ecopartnership published a teacher's guide to planning classes on waste-related issues. In addition to the information for teachers, the guide offers a large variety of entertaining contests and quizzes that can be held with students.
