View source for Waste management in Armenia

{{Short description|Waste management history and processes}}
'''[[Armenia]]''' is underdeveloped in its waste management and recycling activities.  
[[File:Waste containers Khorenatsi Street, Yerevan (May 2018).jpg|thumb|Sorted waste containers in [[Yerevan]]]]
According to the [[Statistical Committee of Armenia]], organizations produced 55.2 million metric tons of waste in 2016, including mining waste.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.armstat.am/am/?nid=12&id=14007|title=Ժամանակագրական շարքեր / Հայաստանի Հանրապետության Ազգային վիճակագրության ծառայություն|website=www.armstat.am|access-date=2018-02-18}}</ref> This amounts to about 18.5 tonnes per capita. According to the [[Waste Atlas]], Armenia produces 368,618 tonnes of [[Municipal solid waste]] (MSW) per year, or {{convert|119.8|kg|lb}} per capita.<ref>[http://www.atlas.d-waste.com/ www.atlas.d-waste.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007045220/http://www.atlas.d-waste.com/ |date=2014-10-07 }} Waste Atlas (2012). Country Data: Aremenia</ref>

On May 4, 2018, the government modifications to relevant legislation aimed at strengthening the responsibility for proper waste management.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=31282&lang=2|title=Arminfo: В Армении будет упорядочен процесс управления твердыми отходами|access-date=2018-05-05|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.am/news.php?cat_id=2&NewsID=10264&year=2018&month=05&day=03&lang=eng|title=National Assembly of Armenia {{!}} Official Web Site {{!}} parliament.am|website=www.parliament.am|access-date=2018-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.am/news.php?cat_id=2&NewsID=10265&year=2018&month=05&day=04&lang=eng|title=National Assembly of Armenia {{!}} Official Web Site {{!}} parliament.am|website=www.parliament.am|access-date=2018-05-05}}</ref>

==Landfills==
Sixty landfills exist in Armenia. No waste sorting, recycling, or reuse takes place at any of them. Instead, garbage is dumped into a working area and then flattened using a bulldozer to create a layer of garbage {{convert|300|cm|in}} thick.<ref name="Hetq-Online-June-25-2007">[http://www.hetq.am/eng/ecology/537/ ''In Armenia Waste is Not Yet Profitable''], Hetq Online, June 25, 2007.</ref>

The Nubarashen landfill, located near [[Yerevan]] ({{coord|40|6|24.19|N|44|32|49.26|E|display=inline}}), is Armenia's largest waste disposal site. It receives almost all of the solid waste produced in the city of Yerevan and its suburbs, which is about 340 tons per day, or 102,000 tons per year.<ref name="UNDP-July-6-2004">[http://www.undp.am/?page=LatestNews&id=137 ''With a Visit to Armenia's Largest Dump, UNDP and the Ministry of Nature Protection Launch Environment Week''], UNDP, July 6, 2004.</ref>  The site has accumulated over 7.5 million tons of domestic waste over 50 years.<ref name="Hetq-Online-June-25-2007" />

In 2018, a waste processing plant was scheduled for construction near [[Hrazdan]] city, which will allow for closure of 10 waste dumps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gov.am/en/news/item/9338/|title="We have good reasons to boast economic growth in the coming years" - Karen Karapetyan Pleased with 2017 Indices in Kotayk Marz|last=LLC|first=Helix Consulting|website=www.gov.am|language=en|access-date=2018-02-16}}</ref>

==Reuse and recycling==

Starting May 2017 [https://issdngo.com/en/ Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development (ISSD) NGO] is implementing waste management projects in Armenia ensuring the collection and recycling of [[Municipal solid waste|Municipal Solid Waste]] in the involved communities. The biggest municipal solid waste management project of the NGO, [https://issdngo.com/en/projects/ongoing/recycleit/ "Recycle it,"] includes [[Yerevan]], the capital city and has more than 500 partner organizations who recycle their waste within this project. The NGO organized more than 120 clean-ups and has more than 300,000 beneficiaries. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://issdngo.com/en/projects/ongoing/recycleit/|title = Recycle it! – Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities}}</ref>

[[File:Waste container in Sevan.jpg|thumb|Waste container in Sevan]]
In recent years there have been several attempts initiated by public activists to address the waste management problem, such as the ''Toprak Petq Chi'' campaign (2016), translates as "I don't need a [[plastic bag]]",' that targets [[disposable product|single-use]] plastic bags.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.toprakpetqchi.com/|title=the project|website=toprakpetqchi.com|access-date=2016-09-16}}</ref>
 
Also recently, some recycling initiatives have started to take shape. Namely, Apaga, also known as ApagaCommunity CJSC,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.apagacommunity.com|title=ApagaCommunity CJSC Webpage|website=www.apagacommunity.com|access-date=2019-08-21}}</ref> offers a paid pickup service, mirroring similar projects in more developed countries, though in these countries, recycling programs are taxpayer sponsored. Apaga enables individuals and organizations who take responsibility for their waste and want to participate, to voluntarily pay for a pickup service and get some rewards in return in the forms of discounts for individuals and green public relations (PR) for organizations. 

In order to allow everyone to benefit from recycling, Apaga has also implemented new Smart Recycling Containers called SmartApaga Containers where anyone with their personal, unique QR code can dispose of their plastics and get ApagaCoins (in-app currency) to exchange for rewards from their rewards partners.

== Waste management in Yerevan ==
The municipal government of [[Yerevan]], capital of Armenia, has made attempts to solve the problem for the city with a long term development plan, which includes three main phases:
# In 2014, an international tender was announced for garbage collection. Two [[waste management]] companies were chosen: a [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] company called [[Sanitek Armenia|Sanitek]], who later opened a operations branch in Yerevan; and two Armenian/Swedish Companies called Ecogroup and LL Miliconsult.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.armenianow.com/news/58955/Armenia_garbage_removal_company_tender|title=Capital Clean-Up: Foreign garbage-removal operator starts work in Yerevan - News {{!}} ArmeniaNow.com|website=www.armenianow.com|access-date=2016-09-16}} Unsafe website</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iyerevan.am/en/project/the-works-of-international-garbage-disposal-operator/|title=The works of International garbage disposal operator have been started|access-date=2016-09-16}}</ref>
# In 2016 the [[National Assembly (Armenia)|Armenian parliament]] ratified a loan agreement signed with the [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development]] (EBRD), for an €8 million loan to finance the construction of a [[solid waste]] landfill in Yerevan that will comply with [[EU regulations]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yerevan.am/en/news/nor-aghbavayri-karhowts-man-het-kapvats-harts-er-en-k-nnarkvel-khorhrdatow-kazmakerpowt-yan-het/|title=The issues related to the construction of the new landfill site have been discussed with the consulting company|access-date=2016-09-16}}</ref>
# According to the municipal government of Yerevan, the next step is to introduce waste sorting and recycling practices with projects that meet European Union standards and regulations.

==Notes==
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==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
{{Asia topic|Waste management in|noredlinks=yes}} 
{{Europe topic|Waste management in|noredlinks=yes}}
{{Waste}}
{{Armenia topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armenia}}
[[Category:Waste management by country]]
[[Category:Economy of Armenia]]
[[Category:Environment of Armenia]]