The Sofia Municipality was officially notified by letter from “Ecobulpak“ AD that the organization intends to discontinue servicing the colored containers for separate waste collection in 16 metropolitan areas – "Bankya", "Vitosha", "Vrabnitsa", "Vazrazhdane", "Izgrev", "Ilinden", "Krasna Polyana", "Kremikovtzi", "Lozenets", "Lyulin", "Ovcha Kupel", "Nadezhda", "Pancharevo", "Poduyane", "Serdika", "Slatina", the Municipality announced in a position on the stated intention, quoted by BTA.
„Ecobulpak“ is one of the packaging waste recovery organizations with which the Sofia Municipality (SO) has concluded contracts for servicing colored containers for separate collection.
The Municipality indicates that on October 28, “Ecobulpak“ attempted to deposit 4 tons of colored container waste, presented as “household“, at the Sofia Waste Treatment Plant (SWTP). The head of the laboratory at the plant, Eng. Liliya Dimitrova, refused to accept the waste after laboratory control proved that the content was recyclable, not household. On November 4, the mayor of Sofia received a letter from “Ecobulpak“ with a notification of their intention to stop servicing the colored containers in the specified 18 districts.
The Sofia Municipality categorically states that the burial or dumping of plastic and other recyclable waste is completely unacceptable, and that such a practice causes serious damage to the environment, leads to the release of toxic substances into the soil and air and directly threatens human health.
The intention undertaken by “Ecobulpak“ has no contractual basis and represents an arbitrary action, which contradicts their commitments to the citizens of Sofia and to the manufacturers who pay them to collect and recycle packaging, is the position of the Municipality.
The Municipality adds that their current move can be seen as an attempt to block the garbage collection system in “Lyulin“ and undermining the Municipality's efforts to ensure a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable system. According to the Municipality, in the first week of the temporary organization in Lyulin (served by “Ecobulpak“) 35 tons of waste were collected – almost double the amount of 18 tons in the week before the crisis.
This is completely contrary to the public commitment of the Sofia Municipality to promote separate collection and the active participation of citizens in recycling. Sofia is betting on this very thing – more separate collection, less waste for landfill and greater responsibility from recovery organizations, the Municipality's position also says.
The Municipality calls on the Ministry of Environment and Water to take immediate action and exercise control over the activities of “Ecobulpak“ and other recovery organizations to ensure compliance with the law and the sustainability of the waste management system in the capital.
As of October 4, a new temporary organization for waste collection came into effect in the metropolitan areas of “Lyulin“ and “Krasno Selo“.