If the MBA is abandoned, the waste collected from the residents would no longer be additionally sorted, but would be transported for incineration.
On Thursday, the Seimas adopted the following amendments to the Law on Waste Management: 65 voted in favor, one was once morest, and three abstained.
It will be possible to refuse MBA when, thanks to the municipality’s residents, sufficient waste sorting is achieved and secondary sorting in these facilities is no longer necessary.
“Basically, (amendments to the BNS) open up opportunities for municipalities to abandon automatic sorting devices for mechanical biological processing and set the conditions, how and when following a calendar year, if municipalities have achieved sufficient primary sorting, it would be possible for municipalities to no longer have secondary sorting,” Environment Minister Simonas said at the Seimas meeting Gentville.
According to him, four municipalities are already fulfilling the European task – 65 percent. municipal waste is sorted.
“This is proof that already four municipalities in the Alytus region might refuse (MBA – BNS) already today following creating the infrastructure,” the minister said.
Kazys Starkevičius, chairman of the Economic Committee, stated that municipalities that do not fulfill waste sorting tasks will be punished, and sanctions will be imposed in the fall.
“If the municipalities do not implement all the plans, then accordingly, as in Lithuania, certain fines will be provided, if they fulfill the tasks, they can choose the sorting method and completely refuse the MBA,” said K. Starkevičius.
Head of the Energy and Sustainable Development Commission of the Seimas, Justinas Urbonavičius, said that by abandoning the MBA, the saved funds might be “invested in primary sorting”.
At that time, according to Kęstutis Mažeika, a member of the “Vardan Lietuvos” democrats’ faction, MBAs would no longer be necessary if residents would really sort waste “to such a level that it would be possible to transport it directly from the containers to recycling plants”.
“But if (the MBA is abandoned – BNS) simply by a political decision regarding deductions, it would really be a huge loss. (…) Although we can criticize the MBA for being built unnecessarily, today we see that this is the only way to motivate people to sort things a little”, said K. Mažeika.
According to Artūrs Skardžius, a member of the mixed group of members of the Seimas, the desire to destroy the MBA arose following the construction of waste incineration companies.
“They (sorted waste – BNS) are not needed, because they hinder the business of incineration companies. (…) Let’s shoulder everything, because we will get a certain amount of heat and electricity”, said A. Skardžius.
He was outraged that these devices are being deliberately destroyed without investing in them.
“One billion litas (258.7 million euros – BNS) was invested in the construction of the MBA. (…) They are specially marinated (MBA – BNS) both through the tariff and through investments, it is also necessary for innovation, not distinguishing between them is a problem. And now there is an opportunity to simply abolish them,” said A. Skardžius.
Laima Nagienė, a member of the “Vardan Lietuvos” democrat faction, wondered who would take responsibility for investments in MBA.
According to her, they want to destroy the MBA, because the Kaunas facility is causing the most problems with the spread of stench: “We say that the MBA is not needed, because one landfill in Kaunas is not being managed. (…) Let’s go to Pasvalis, it works there, just like that – there are smells”.
S. Gentvilas discussed with the regional waste management centers the possibility of closing MBA as early as the beginning of 2023. He then argued that this infrastructure was becoming redundant.
Waste sorting in residents’ homes is called primary, and sorting in MBA facilities is called secondary.
In 2030, at least 60 percent of municipal waste in Lithuania should be reused and recycled, and no more than 5% is disposed of in landfills.
#Seimas #gave #green #light #close #waste #sorting #facilities #Business
2024-07-19 20:58:40
