Armenia
MARCH 2, 2011
CSD-19 Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting
Waste Management: Policy options to address barriers and constraints, taking into account lessons
learned and best practices
Ms. Nouneh Zastoukhova, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished delegates ,
The issue of environmentally friendly disposal of hazardous industrial waste is very
important in my country given the fact that Armenia does not have processing plants or
specialized polygons to treat and bury waste.
Recognizing the need for environmentally safe disposal of hazardous waste and the
importance of strengthened control of their trans-border moveme nt and disposal in order to
prevent unlawful international circulation, and taking into account the increasing trend of
discarding hazardous waste in developing counties, Armenia ratified the UN Basel Convention
on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal.
A key milestone in Armenia in the area of management of hazardous and other types of
wastes was the elaboration and adoption of the ?Law on Waste? in November 2004. The Law
defines the state policy in the area of waste use, aimed at preventing the harmful impact of waste
on the environment and human health, while maximizing its use as a secondary raw material. In
order to ensure the enforcement of that Law, 29 sub-legislative acts have also been adopted.
Furthermore, to meet the requirements of those legal acts and ensure ecologically safe
waste management, the following measures are being implemented in Armenia:
· State registration of waste (everything from municipal waste to hazardous
industrial waste is being classified);
· Passportization of hazardous waste;
· Registration of waste generation and processing, as well as the removal locations,
with the purpose of creating and running the ir register;
· The process of approving projects for waste generation norms and their
installation quotas developed by legal entities and private entrepreneurs; and
· Activities for setting up a state waste cadastre.
Another significant step in this area has been the establishment of the Waste Research
Centre, a state non-commercial organization within the structure of the Ministry of Nature
Protection of the Republic of Armenia. The activit ies performed by the Centre are aimed at
provid ing assistance in preparing and implementing the state policy and strategy in the area of
waste management, as well as regulating these issues. In order to minimize the volumes of
generated hazardous and other types of wastes, certain steps were undertaken in Armenia to
ARMENIA
realize economic approaches. In that context, the ?Law on Wastes? stipulates mechanisms on
economic incentives for the managing actors engaged in processing/recycling and utilization of
wastes. It should be mentioned that Draft ?Law on Wastes? was submitted to the Basel
Convention Secretariat for consideration and international expertise examination and positive
expert conclusions were obtained for this document.
Based on recommendations and principles set forth in the Agenda 21 and Bahia
declaration of Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, Armenia has developed National
Profile on Management of Chemicals and Waste , which is one of the important stages for
sustainable development process in the country. The profile assisted with identifying current
problems as well as determining the direction of further activities towards the elimination of
those problems.
Despite some of the important steps that have been taken in Armenia in this sector, certain
areas are in need of further work, including:
· Creation of an ecologically safe waste management system, including the improvement
of appropriate legal framework;
· Creation of registers for the waste generation, processing and utilization objects and their
disposal locations;
· Monitoring of waste disposal spots with the aim of assessing the impact of waste on the
environment;
· Ensuring reduction in waste generation, maximum use, including the expansion of
secondary use of waste;
· Elaboration and initiation of measures on ecologically safe disposal of generated wastes;
and
· Establishment of specialized waste disposal polygons and landfills.
Armenia remains committed to the implementation of policies in these areas and will
work with the relevant international bodies to achieve its goals in this context.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
CSD-19 Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting
Waste Management: Policy options to address barriers and constraints, taking into account lessons
learned and best practices
Ms. Nouneh Zastoukhova, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished delegates ,
The issue of environmentally friendly disposal of hazardous industrial waste is very
important in my country given the fact that Armenia does not have processing plants or
specialized polygons to treat and bury waste.
Recognizing the need for environmentally safe disposal of hazardous waste and the
importance of strengthened control of their trans-border moveme nt and disposal in order to
prevent unlawful international circulation, and taking into account the increasing trend of
discarding hazardous waste in developing counties, Armenia ratified the UN Basel Convention
on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal.
A key milestone in Armenia in the area of management of hazardous and other types of
wastes was the elaboration and adoption of the ?Law on Waste? in November 2004. The Law
defines the state policy in the area of waste use, aimed at preventing the harmful impact of waste
on the environment and human health, while maximizing its use as a secondary raw material. In
order to ensure the enforcement of that Law, 29 sub-legislative acts have also been adopted.
Furthermore, to meet the requirements of those legal acts and ensure ecologically safe
waste management, the following measures are being implemented in Armenia:
· State registration of waste (everything from municipal waste to hazardous
industrial waste is being classified);
· Passportization of hazardous waste;
· Registration of waste generation and processing, as well as the removal locations,
with the purpose of creating and running the ir register;
· The process of approving projects for waste generation norms and their
installation quotas developed by legal entities and private entrepreneurs; and
· Activities for setting up a state waste cadastre.
Another significant step in this area has been the establishment of the Waste Research
Centre, a state non-commercial organization within the structure of the Ministry of Nature
Protection of the Republic of Armenia. The activit ies performed by the Centre are aimed at
provid ing assistance in preparing and implementing the state policy and strategy in the area of
waste management, as well as regulating these issues. In order to minimize the volumes of
generated hazardous and other types of wastes, certain steps were undertaken in Armenia to
ARMENIA
realize economic approaches. In that context, the ?Law on Wastes? stipulates mechanisms on
economic incentives for the managing actors engaged in processing/recycling and utilization of
wastes. It should be mentioned that Draft ?Law on Wastes? was submitted to the Basel
Convention Secretariat for consideration and international expertise examination and positive
expert conclusions were obtained for this document.
Based on recommendations and principles set forth in the Agenda 21 and Bahia
declaration of Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, Armenia has developed National
Profile on Management of Chemicals and Waste , which is one of the important stages for
sustainable development process in the country. The profile assisted with identifying current
problems as well as determining the direction of further activities towards the elimination of
those problems.
Despite some of the important steps that have been taken in Armenia in this sector, certain
areas are in need of further work, including:
· Creation of an ecologically safe waste management system, including the improvement
of appropriate legal framework;
· Creation of registers for the waste generation, processing and utilization objects and their
disposal locations;
· Monitoring of waste disposal spots with the aim of assessing the impact of waste on the
environment;
· Ensuring reduction in waste generation, maximum use, including the expansion of
secondary use of waste;
· Elaboration and initiation of measures on ecologically safe disposal of generated wastes;
and
· Establishment of specialized waste disposal polygons and landfills.
Armenia remains committed to the implementation of policies in these areas and will
work with the relevant international bodies to achieve its goals in this context.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
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