The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process has begun in Kharkiv and Vinnytsia regions for the draft Regional Waste Management Plans up to 2035. This is a crucial stage in the preparation of documents that will shape the development of the waste management system in the regions in line with European approaches and national legislation. Applications to determine the scope of the SEA for the Regional Waste Management Plans have been registered on the national E-SEA portal.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment allows for the analysis of the potential impact of planned decisions on the environment and public health as early as the planning stage. It also helps to account for environmental risks, identify ways to prevent them, and select the most effective solutions for the development of the waste management system.
The aim of the future regional plans is to establish an effective waste management system in the region, introduce modern approaches to waste collection, treatment and resource recovery, and implement the measures set out in the National Waste Management Strategy and the National Waste Management Plan.
During the SEA of the regional waste management plans for the Kharkiv and Vinnytsia regions, the potential impact of the plan’s implementation on air quality, water resources, soil, climate, biodiversity and public health will be assessed.
Particular attention will be paid to issues such as the rehabilitation of waste disposal sites, waste treatment, the development of separate collection systems and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, among other things.
Regional waste management plans are the key documents for implementing waste management reform at the regional level and form the basis for the subsequent development of local waste management plans by local authorities. They identify clusters, the necessary waste treatment infrastructure, priority investments and measures that will enable a gradual transition from landfilling to reuse, recycling and resource recovery.
Once the strategic environmental assessment and public consultation procedures have been completed, the draft regional plans will be finalised, taking into account the proposals and comments received.
Through the SEA mechanism, the WM4U programme ensures transparency and public engagement in the development of regional waste management plans, enabling stakeholders and civil society to participate in the process of formulating and refining strategic planning decisions.