Solid Waste Management Company and World Bank Representatives Inspect Potential Sites for Georgia's First Hazardous Waste Landfill

Representatives of the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, and the World Bank have inspected potential locations for the construction of Georgia's first hazardous waste landfill.

The site visits were conducted by Mikheil Gogolidze, Director of the Solid Waste Management Company; Lasha Inauri, Head of the Ministry's Waste and Chemicals Management Policy Department; and representatives of the World Bank. The delegation visited two potential sites identified for the future hazardous waste disposal facility, as well as the former chemical waste disposal site located on Mount Yagluja.

Georgia currently does not have an operational hazardous waste landfill. The purpose of the World Bank mission was to assess the current state of hazardous waste management in the country, identify key challenges, and explore potential investment opportunities for developing the necessary infrastructure.

According to Mikheil Gogolidze, Georgia has made significant progress over the past decade by establishing the legal and regulatory framework required to introduce modern hazardous waste management standards.

"Georgia's National Waste Management Strategy 2016–2030 and the accompanying Action Plan define the country's priorities and key measures for improving hazardous waste management. The legislative and regulatory framework developed over the past decade, including regulations specifically addressing hazardous waste, provides a solid foundation for introducing modern waste management standards in Georgia," said Mikheil Gogolidze.

In accordance with a decree of the Government of Georgia, the Solid Waste Management Company has been assigned responsibility for implementing the measures necessary to establish the country's hazardous waste landfill, as well as for its future operation and maintenance.