Report: SWM, Berd

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Berd Sub-region Waste Management Capacity Building Narrative Report Submitted by: Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development Project Partner: Armenia Environmental Network Funded by: Norwegian Embassy in Moscow Reporting period: October 15, 2012 – October 15, 2013 The project was planned to address three specific objectives: 1. To improve efficiency of solid waste management (SWM) in Berd Sub-region 2. To initiate a design of a sanitary landfill 3. To conduct public awareness events At the beginning of the project discussion was initiated with the partner (AEN) to decide on strategy and the role of each partner and an initial visit was made to Berd. The project activities started with slight delay as in the result of the local election a new mayor took office. During the following visit the new mayor expressed commitment to support the project activities as they were initially planned. A Memorandum of Understanding was drafted specifying partners’ obligations which was signed on January 3, 2013.

1. Improvement of waste protection One of the first activities of the project was organizing a survey in Berd among general public to identify perceptions of the population regarding provision of waste management service by the municipality. During November, 2012, 200 interviews were conducted among adult residents to assess their attitude and practices regarding waste management issues in general and their local experiences in particular. 73% of respondents scored between 6 and 8 (according to 10grade scale) the quality of waste management service in their community, while the others scored 3, 4 or 9. None scored 1,2 or 10. Residents of apartment buildings scored higher than respondents from the ‘private house sector’. Among key problems reported by the respondents were:  Bins are located far;  Yards are not being cleaned  The bins are not closed/ have no lids and garbage is scattered around  Bins are empted not often  Straying dogs scatter garbage from the bins.

40% of respondents reported that they are ready to separate waste before it is collected by the truck. 36% reported that they like the idea but will not do that, while 20% said they do not like the idea at all.

The findings of the survey as were presented to municipality. A workshop was organized during which with the help of UFSD’s consultant on waste management the existing practices and

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procedures were analyzed and improvement opportunities were discussed and recommended.

Although the situation with waste management and collection of tariff service fees is not bad in Berd compared with other municipalities, there is still much room for improvement as there are some parts of the town where service is not provided. The consultant advised to include one of the districts with private houses into the schedule of waste collection and make calculations of economic feasibility of that increase. UFSD introduced a computer based tool for facilitating calculation of waste collection service tariffs. The tool provides a set of parameters based on which the process of tariff can be calculated so that the tariff covers the cost of the service.

Among parameters are: the frequency of waste removal, distance covered by the truck, personnel involved, cost of fuel, etc.

The municipality recruited a new head of municipal service provision department, who demonstrates understanding of the situation and is ready to improve it. One of the ways of improvement of waste management is introducing source separation of plastic (PET) from solid household waste. This would bring about a chain of positive changes: first, it helps developing an environmentally conscious attitude among residents; second, helps to reduce the amount of unprocessed waste going into the landfill thus reducing the emission dangerous substances that are created during long degradation of plastic; third, once plastic is removed, a smaller capacity landfill will be needed which means its construction costs will be less.

UFSD applied to UNDP Global Compact program for costsharing in plastic separation initiative. Thanks to that cooperation, 60 special green bins for plastic were obtained and placed throughout Berd and neighboring communities.

The municipal service provider made necessary re-scheduling of waste collection plan to ensure timely emptying of the green bins. On their side, municipality allocated a site for storing the collected plastic. Taking into account the remoteness of Berd and high cost of transportation, the municipality asked for a bailer to reduce the volume of collected plastic for cheaper transportation. UNDP provided the bailer thus making more than ten thousand dollar contribution to the project.

Pic. 1 Bin for PET

The monitoring of the process of separation of plastic shows that residents of Berd have readily accepted the novelty. The town is considerably clean, bins for plastic and general garbage are located next to each other as was advised, and are being emptied regularly. As a follow up of the project, the UFSD will look for opportunities to further support the municipality of Berd for improving the situation.

2. Initiation of work for the new landfill The waste management system cannot be considered improved without a proper landfill at the end of the system. The current landfill that serves Berd and neighboring communities can hardly satisfy minimal sanitary norms. It is an old landfill which has expanded over the years so much that has reached the highway representing a dismal scenery amid beautiful landscape.

Therefore, as a component of improvement of waste management system, the project envisioned design of a new sanitary, environmentally sustainable landfill by an architect and

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engineer involved by AEN. The architect visited Armenia in November 2012 and along with local authorities and international consultants commissioned by the Asian Development Bank took part in the selection of the site for the landfill. After the visit he prepared Google map –based outline of the design as the first step. Additionally, the community council (of Verin Karmiraghbyur, whom belongs the territory of the landfill) approved the allocation of the land and made necessary arrangements for cadastre registration.

In November, 2012 UFSD organized a trip of representatives of Berd municipality to Alaverdi (Lori region) to get acquainted with the procedures that are required by the government of Armenia to follow for designing a landfill (Alaverdi is the only community that had gone through the entire process of landfill design has constructed a sanitary landfill). During the workshop organized in Alaverdi representatives of both municipalities had step by step discussion on the entire process and afterwards visited to the site. This activity helped the project to learn from other’s experience and optimize the lengthy process.

Meantime, the project contracted a geological company for doing surveying and hydro- geological research of the allocated territory – without which Workshop in Alaverdi design would be impossible. The company produced survey in due time and technical specifications required by the US-based architect and the engineer and was forwarded to them to start the design. However, due to incomplete arrangements between AEN and the architect, no final understanding was achieved in terms of deliverables and the cost of the task. In the result, the funds earmarked in the budget of the project for design of the landfill turned to be less than the cost required by the architect. In order to have the design of the landfill by the end of the project and transfer it to the Berd municipality as an important project outcome, it was decided to assign the design to local architects who would follow government requirements for any landfill to ensure its licensing in future. For that AEN transferred USD 1600 to the design company in Yerevan. That sum was supplemented by unspent funds from other budget lines (interpretation/translation; signage; posters) which made USD 8568.

UFSD notified the donor about this change in due time, and as no reply was received from them, the project management considered the changes approved.

The outcome of this activity is a package of documents including the hydro-geological report of the site, design of the landfill; budget estimate and organizational design of works (проеткт организации работ –ПОС). The package will be delivered to the municipality of Berd to support their plans for constructing the landfill in future.

3. Public education initiatives The project team implemented a series of public education activities throughout the course of the project. The main target of the project is schoolchildren, youth and women of Berd. It should be noted that all activities have been coordinated with the other project funded by the

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Norwegian embassy on environmental education and organic waste management that was being implemented by Green Lane NGO. Activity 1: The first event took place in spring and

was in response to the request of the municipality to support greening of the central part of the town. For that UFSD obtained high quality grass seeds of Danish production to be sown along the main roads.

Schoolchildren were mobilized to help municipality in doing the job and periodically watering loan. The project provided the municipality with a mower to regularly trip the loan once the grass is propagated.

Activity 2: Our next initiative was jointly designed

with Berd Women Resource Center NGO. It was decided to promote reusable shopping bags instead of the plastic ones that are being used in abundance throughout the country. As plastic bags normally are not being recycled, the most effective way to get rid of them is reduction of their use. It was decided to engage women from Berd to sew 500 reusable bags. UFSD purchased material and forwarded to the Women Resource Center for organizing the job.

Arrangements were made with the stores of Berd to promote and distribute the multiple usage bags instead of plastic ones. A leaflet was printed to be put in each bag explaining why residents of Berd should use them and what the hazards the plastic causes to the nature are.

Women who were involved in sewing were paid for their job. Women resource center organized information campaign to promote the reusable bags and evoke change in people’s Leaflet promoting reusable bags A bag with script 'Clean Berd'

behavior. As a part of the information campaign, 50 posters were printed and posted in public places to make the action visible. It should be noted that the shopkeepers welcomed the action expressing readiness to support this new initiative.

Activity 3: UFSD and its partner Green Lane NGO

participated in the Honey and Berry Festival on August 18, 2013. They placed a joint stand in the Soran Park with print materials produced in the frame of the project. UFSD presented the

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brochure developed for children and posters urging residents to separate plastic bottles form garbage and reduce plastic shopping bags.

Activity 4: It is already a tradition that each year UFSD is organizing Environmental Knowledge Days on the first day of the new school year. On August 31st an open lesson was organized in school #3 of Berd. UFSD’s environmental education consultant Melanya Davtyan, spoke to children explaining that the resources of the nature are limited, while footprint that people Tavush Marzpet and US Ambassador with environmental brochures at Soran festival

are leaving on the nature is so large that nature will not be able to recover if we continue like this and do not change our behavior. Children were encouraged to express their ideas how they personally can reduce their own and their family’s impact on the environment. More than 50 children participated in the open lesson from 5-9th grades. UFSD contacted also other schools of Berd - ## 2 and 4 who demonstrated strong interest in involving in environmental initiatives. These schools received books form UFSD on environmental education to supplement information that is available in their official textbooks.

Activity 5: Jointly with teachers of schools ## 2, 3 and 4 it

was decided to organize a big event to mark the closure of the project. In consultation with the environmental education consultant UFSD organized an Environmental Knowledge Contest. The scenario of the contest included 3 phases: 1) Each of the teams pulled a question from the box and had to come up with an answer in 3 minutes; 2) Each team was proposed a hypothesis referring ecology and had 10 minutes to approve or refute it by bringing reasons and justifications. This phased aimed to encourage children’s critical thinking; 3) Each team was given a blueprint map of Armenia and was asked to fill it in with as many details as they could.

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The contest did not aim at finding out the winners or losers but rather encouraging them to contemplate over environmental issues. At the end, participants of the contest received certificates.

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4. Problems encountered and lessons learned Problems.  Change of local authorities in the result of elections. This caused delay of the start of activities for at least two months.  Replacement of the municipal service provider with whom the project had to start new arrangements for engaging them in the project  Insufficient clarity in project proposal; lack of substantial research before devising the proposal  Lack of clarity regarding final deliverables of the project between project partners  Lack of availability of more convenient site for landfill

Lessons learned  More detailed planning shall take place at the project initiation stage  Experts shall be involved at earlier stage  Having a local field coordinator can be efficient and effective in projects located in remote communities.  UFSD will be more careful in selecting partners

Annexes: 1. Financial report 2. Audit report