Clean Alliance: Newsletter 2

CLEAN ALLIANCE April, 2018

NEWSLETTER

of the Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development

EU for Syunik: CLEAN ALLIANCE: ACCESSIBLE SERVICES FOR GORIS AND GORAYQ COMMUNITIES TURNING ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Two actions that are implemented with the ďŹ nancial support of the EU are underway in Syunik region.

Although legally separate actions, there is strong synergic effect between the two: Local communities technically and infrastructurally empowered by the Clean Alliance will be fully integrated in the project led by Kapan municipality by becoming important suppliers of raw materials to the startup.

Facts and Data

196 persons participated in different consultations and trainings 10% 20 persons or 10% were young (below 35 years of age)

This project is funded by the European Union

31% 60 persons or 31% were women

This project is implemented by Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development

Solid Waste Management (SWM) Strategy

their prioritizing; recommendations and work plan. Strategies can be found at the following address: http://urbanfoundation.am/wpcontent/uploads/2017/11/GoraykStrategy-final-final-draft.pdf.

The 'Clean Alliance: Accessible Services for Goris and Gorayq Communities' has achieved one of its key outcomes: In the result of an extensive and hard work, the Waste management Strategy is now developed for two target consolidated communities. The entire process has been participatory involving a series of working group meetings, discussions and community meetings. The documents comply with accepted rules of strategy development; they comprise of the following sections: Introductory information, analysis of the current situation and SWM infrastructures; waste separation options, economic and financial analysis, SWOT analysis, elaboration Vision, long and mid-term goals; issues identified and methods for

Based on the findings of the study, the initial assumption according to which a waste management company was planned to be established in Gorayq, was found inconsistent because of small number of population. Calculations show that waste management service becomes feasible if the service covers at least 7000 people. That is why an important recommendation of the Action was to strengthen the waste management service in Sisian, also recently consolidated, with condition that it covers also Gorayq community. This new arrangement was met with understanding in Gorayq and is approved by the community council.

strategic documents

infrastructure

This project is funded by the European Union

Getting ready for recycling plastic waste Much groundwork has been carried out in the frame of the Turning Environmental Challenges into Opportunities action.

Market research is carried out on sandpolymer construction materials, the business plan for the startup enterprise is devised. These documents are developed by the Competitive Society, one of the project partners. The other partner, the Hayconsult foundation is elaborating an Environmental Management System for the startup that involves steps towards adoption of ISO14001 standard through simplified procedures for SME called '7 Steps'.

Operational Safety and Health policy will also be established in the new enterprise to reduce risk factors.

public education

This project is implemented by Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development

Public Education: Inseparable Component In Our Projects Still at the inception phase of the Clean Alliance project, a Public Education and Visibility Plan was elaborated and shared with stakeholders. The overall goal of the Public Education activities is to nurture environmentally friendly behavior and change of adverse habits. All public education/visibility products fall under the following categories: Ÿ

Products for informing about the project to various audiences

Ÿ

Products for increased knowledge and education

Ÿ

Events and activities

The Plan will be implemented throughout the life of the Action.

create capacities

This project is funded by the European Union

It is intended that around 15000 population including 2000 children will be exposed to various outreach activities.

Two workshops organized for women in Spandaryan and Goris dedicated to discussions on housework habits and the ways how environmentally friendly practices can be applied in commonplace life. The workshops were conducted by Melania Davtyan - a renown environmental educator and author.

Later, a series of trainings in the format of interactive lessons were organized for children of 12 target community schools.

We have prepared a number of visibility and promotional materials including a brochure on waste management for municipalities and service providers, and a very special one for children in a form of a letter dedicated to personally to the child.

foster separation of plastic waste

All educational and visibility materials focus on separation of plastic from household waste. The posters, signs and stickers communicate information why, who and how plastic shall be separated so that it does not end up in the nature and prevent emission of super dangerous gases. Some of these materials will be distributed later in the spring to match with the time when all infrastructures for decent waste separation are in place.

Several visuals are being prepared also for the Turning Environmental Challenges into Opportunities project to announce the new production and urge population of the target communities – and in the first place Kapan – to support the newly established startup for production of construction materials from polymer-sand mixture by separating plastic waste from general garbage.

reduce unemployment

This project is implemented by Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development

1 startup project

separation of plastic waste

6 new products

Getting ready for big procurements Both projects – Clean Alliance and Turning Environmental Challenges into Opportunities have arrived at the stage of big procurements – garbage trucks, balers, waste bins. These procurements are made in compliance with the EU PRAG and national legislation – preparation of tender packages, announcement of tenders, creation of selection commissions, and selection procedures. Contracts have been signed with winning tenderers and delivery of equipment is underway.

This project is funded by the European Union

The number of equipment to be purchased is demonstrated in the table below: ACTION

Trucks

Garbage bins

Plastic waste bins

Balers

Clean Alliance: Accessible Services for Goris and Gorayq Communities

2

260

105

2

Turning Environmental Challenges into Opportunities

2

120

350

5

This project is implemented by Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development

Good to Know

PURE-Water

Bjni

One year has passed since the start of the USAID-funded Participatory Utilization and Resource Efficiency of Water (PURE-Water) Project.

Considerable activities have been carried out in all 4 directions of the project. Particularly, the water related legislation is analyzed, regulatory gaps are identified and road map for their addressing is elaborated. Water Sector Public Advocacy Network is established, public oversight mechanisms are created, consumer feedback tools are introduced, behavior change communication strategy and work plan is elaborated. Target communities have identified their urgent infrastructural needs and have produced proposals for getting funding to address them.

In the framework of the UNDP “Integrated Rural Tourism Development Project”, UFSD has analyzed the waste management and sanitary cleaning situation in one of the most attractive rural tourist destinations in Armenia – Bjni of Kotayk region. Apart from the historic fortress and churches dating back to 9-10 centuries, there are many treasures of nature that provide exciting environment for hiking and leisure. The river Hrazdan that traverses Bjni, represents additional attraction. However poor waste management practices, scattered garbage and littered riverbed create a dismal impression on the tourists.

The second year of the project is going to be quite intensive in terms of practical implementation of behavior change measures, promotion of water users' rights, improving water infrastructure, and advocating more efficient relations with decision makers.

Some of the recommendations based on the findings of the study are: Apply systemic approach towards waste management, elaborate an operational plan; Introduce waste separation striving to zero-waste target; Improve waste management in upstream Hrazdan city; carry out public awareness an outreach activities including clean-up events, placing signs and visuals; clean the riverbed of the Hrazdan.

Joining the Clean up Europe Movement Let's Clean-Up Europe is a call- toaction movement through which people around Europe are invited to organize clean up events in places where much litter is illegally dumped – forests, rivers, gorges, etc. The primary causes of this littering issue are unsustainable and poor waste management strategies, lack of knowledge and adverse behavior patterns. Therefore, cleaning up is coupled with awareness raising activities and mobilization of local communities. The actions are normally being organized in spring.

Armenia is joining this movement for the first time: The Urban Foundation has registered with the movement and has shared the idea of organizing clean up and awareness raising events by engaging those who want to be part of the solution as volunteers.The events will take place in communities of Syunik. Among supporters of the events are the Contour Global Hydro Cascade CJSC, the Armenian Voluntary Corps and the Birthright Armenia.

The European Union is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies.

Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and people beyond its borders.

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union.

The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of ECO led consortium and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

This project is funded by the European Union

This project is implemented by Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development