Aarhus Information Center Vlora with the support and cooperation of OSCE-Presence in Albania implemented the project about waste management and recycling: “Support effective environmental governance at national and local level”.

Recycling is important to both the natural environment and us.

Environmental  importance 

• Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste.
• Recycling requires much less energy and therefore helps to preserve natural resources.

Importance to people      

Recycling is essential to cities around the world and to the people living in them.

• No space for waste.
• Reduce financial expenditure in the economy.
• Preserve natural resources for future generations.

The implementation of this project was realized by the following activities:

• It was drafted and designed the questionnaires form  by putting the emphasis on the public opinion for the waste management.
• It was organized a public survey with schools, local business and citizens about waste management. In cooperation with volunteers of Aarhus Information Center it was conducted a campaign of interviews and filling up the questionnaires in Himara Municipality with students, local business and citizens about waste management.
• It was prepared a report/findings with the results of questionnaires based on matrix sample.
• It was organised a round table with public officials and representatives of the local cleaning company in order to discuss for the findings of the questionnaires, what came out and who were the next steps of the project.
• The awareness campaign and the Clean-up activity was organized with youths and students, Himara Municipality and the local cleaning company in the framework of the National Day “To clean Albania in one day” by separating the waste on paper, metal, plastic and glass.
• Round table with the representatives of the local business. It was discussed for the right ways that they should use for recycling and differential separation. What were the benefits and how the business could help on a better waste management in Himara.
• It was realized an awareness campaign and a Road Show with local officials, citizens and the students of Himara High School for discussing the main environmental local issues, waste management and for the importance of 3R (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle) in local level.
• The round table with local businesses, citizens, students, local cleaning company and public officials for the conclusions of the project . It was discussed for the solutions that Himara Municipality offers for the waste management and the future plans.

Recommendations:

1.Increasing the cooperation between local authorities, local stakeholders, civil society, private businesses and community for local issues, particularly on issues related to waste management.

2. Increasing the community awareness about the Waste Management and mainly giving priority to differential separation at source and recycling. Defining the priorities and advantages that they financially bring as well as environmentally through awareness campaigns, training sessions, public forums, road show etc.

3.Providing a full information from specialists of the field for a better waste management, treatment and reducing them in manner to become a preliminary assessment for the efficiency of using the differential separation and 3R (recycle, reduce and re-composition). Also creating facilities especially for the private business to launch these practices.

4.Making available to the public containers for differential separation of waste metal, glass, paper, plastic and defining a collection point from the Himara Municipality for each of these materials, minimizing the overflowing surfaces with waste and utilizing the waste that could be subject for 3R process.

5.Support and encouragement of the private businesses which are partially using the practice of differential waste and the decrease of the cleaning task from the Himara Municipality for these businesses by giving a positive model and by including as much businesses in this initiative.

6.Implementation of different projects, without high costs but that surpass theoretical framework and that serve as a positive example for all the community.

7.Composition of the recommendations for the Local and Central Authority Units, which will serve for the change and the preparation of legal acts for the waste management in local level so the reality will be reflected in the field.

8.Organization of round tables/workshops about the waste management, in collaboration with NGOs, the line Ministries for the citizens, stakeholders, local authority, etc.