Клуб Икономика 2000
Transforming Ideas into Actions, Actions into Success


A holistic approach to waste management in the transition to circular economy



The project will introduce a new integrated waste management system in municipality Pomorie in Bulgaria, including door-to-door collection of municipal waste and “Pay-as-you-throw” (PAYT) waste fee setting.

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Project data

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  • Place of execution: Municipality Pomorie, Bulgaria
  • Budget: € 1 549 367.49 
  • Funding from the EU: € 929 620.49 
  • Duration: 01.07.2023 – 30.06.2026

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Project beneficiaries: Municipality Pomorie – coordinator, Club “Economika 2000”, Theoremus AD, Ecobulpack Bulgaria AD and Zero Waste Italy

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The Context

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Bulgarian municipalities face significant challenges to meet the waste targets set in the European and national legislation: 65% in weight of preparing for reuse and recycling by 2035 and maximum 10% sent to landfill by 2035. Bulgaria has a much lower level of household waste recycling compared to the EC average. Currently, disposal in landfills registers the highest rate among the waste treatment methods, while the recycling and recovery rate is low. Biodegradable waste is not yet collected separately. The basic principle "Polluter pays" is still not applied in the country. Residents pay a fee for household waste, which does not take into account their actual waste generation and does not stimulate the reduction and separate collection of waste. All these gaps apply to municipality Pomorie as well. The municipality clearly understands the urgent need of changes in the way of waste management and in 2020 planned to introduce a comprehensive new approach to household waste management, applying the good practice of municipality Parma, Italy. Due to a lack of clear guidance, internal capacity and resources, the municipality developed a project and applied for grant funding under the LIFE Programme.

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The project specific objectives are to:

  • Increase the capacity to develop, apply and manage a new integrated waste management system
  • Ensure software, technical and institutional infrastructure for collection of municipal waste
  • Apply new schemes for door-to-door collection of household waste and PAYT
  • Increase the knowledge and commitment of residents of municipality Pomorie to practice sustainable consumption, waste prevention and separate collection

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Actions

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Preparatory actions
  • Strengthening the capacity for project implementation
  • Study the experience of Parma, Italy
  • Analyses of the current situation in municipality Pomorie
  • Design of the new system for waste management
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Awareness raising and participation of local stakeholders 

  • Surveys of the attitudes of households and businesses
  • Elaboration of a Communication Strategy
  • Consultations with stakeholders  
  • Educational actions and campaigns

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Pilot testing of door-to-door waste collection in a selected area in the city of Pomorie

  • Development, testing and implementation of an ITC platform for waste management 
  • Ensure technical equipment
  • Pilot door-to-door collection 
  • Analysis of the results of the pilot testing

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Full implementation of the door-to-door collection 

  • Preparatory actions
  • Building the capacity for management of the new system
  • Implementation of the new scheme in the whole city
  • Adoption of PAYT waste fee

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Ensuring sustainability and replication

  • Development of a Sustainability, Exploitation and Replication Plan
  • Promotion of results to catalyse the replication of the project approach  by other municipalities
  • Capacity building of stakeholders