1309 – Circular-based waste management

Name of the lead partner organisation: MAŽEIKIAI DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Country of the lead partner organisation: Lithuania

Project summary: 

In line with the EU’s plans and targets to transition to a circular economy by reducing pressure on natural resources, the Circular Based Waste Management project works towards implementing circular based waste management practices.

Within a circular economy, waste is considered a valuable resource. It is based on expanding the life cycle of products through reuse, recycling, repair and renovation so that the materials products are made of play a part in the economy for as long as possible. 

During the Circular Based Waste Management project, innovations in waste collection, sorting and recycling are to be reviewed, studied and assessed. The ultimate goal is to address infrastructure, technologies and legal issues to improve environmental performance in three municipalities located in three different countries. The outcome of the project will be the establishment of a long-term path towards the circular economy of the future in a sustainable manner.

To do so, feasibility/concept studies, capacity building through training, education and technique piloting, and practice exchange in the areas of environmental innovations are being employed. 

The municipal administrations, local population and regional waste management centres are engaged in activities. Since the project aims to create a long-lasting effect, the national environmental policy makers, other municipal governments and national population also form indirect target groups for the project.

Each of the five project partners have different challenges to solve and achievements to accomplish in reaching EU targets:

• The lead partner of the project, Mažeikiai municipality in Lithuania, aims to improve on household waste collection, sorting and recycling and wishes to explore the feasibility of installing a modern waste sorting station. 
• JSC Telšiai regional waste management centre, is targeting the improvement on household waste collection, sorting and recycling in the Telšiai region in Lithuania as well as sorting and recycling of digestate and exploring possibilities for the regional recycling of plastics.
• Paide town government in Estonia, aims to encourage its citizens to sort waste and recycle and maintain the sorting infrastructure through implementation of a pilot educational project.
• Sumy city council in Ukraine, aims to establish a background for waste management, to build capacity and gain knowledge as it faces multiple waste collection challenges. The goal of the project for Sumy, is the formation of a concept for an integrated waste management system. 
• Green Business Norway as the expert partner, with years of experience working with the public and private sectors on waste management topics, has a unique insight in offering expertise and guidance to meet the scope and ambitions of the project. 

The transnational nature of the project is thus a valuable element, as it provides a platform for knowledge transfer among partners of different traditions seeking the common EU waste management targets. 

The project further aims at strengthening cooperation among municipalities, waste management organisations, companies, and educational institutions from different countries through experience exchange and capacity building on environmental and circular economy development pathways. 

Finally, the project will develop concepts and solutions for sustainable environmental management and will contribute to environmental awareness building and changing perceptions and attitudes towards waste among youth and the broader population.