Bulgaria MSW
Bulgaria MSW
Bulgaria MSW
February 2013
Context
The Topic Centre has prepared this working paper for the European Environment Agency
(EEA) under its 2012 work programme as a contribution to the EEA's work on waste
implementation.
Disclaimer
This ETC/SCP working paper has been subjected to European Environment Agency (EEA)
member country review. Please note that the contents of the working paper do not necessarily
reflect the views of the EEA.
Contents
Contents .................................................................................................................... 3
Highlights .................................................................................................................. 4
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Objective ................................................................................................. 5
2 Bulgarias MSW management performance .................................................. 5
2.1 MSW Indicators ....................................................................................... 6
2.1.1 The recycling of MSW from 2001 to 2010 ............................................... 6
2.1.2 The yearly increase rate of recycling of MSW ......................................... 7
2.1.3 Landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste .......................................... 7
2.1.4 Regional differences of MSW recycling from 2001 to 2010 ..................... 8
2.1.5 The relation between landfill tax level and recycling level of MSW ......... 8
2.1.6 Environmental benefits of better MSW management ............................ 10
2.2 Uncertainties in the reporting ................................................................ 11
2.3 Important initiatives taken to improve MSW management .................... 12
2.4 Future possible trends ........................................................................... 13
References .............................................................................................................. 15
3
Highlights
A very large proportion of the municipal waste is landfilled in Bulgaria. The amount of
municipal waste deposited into landfills was 98 % of the generated amount in 2010.
No material and organic recycling of municipal waste was reported in Bulgaria from 2001 to
2010. Packaging waste is not included in the reporting to Eurostat on the recycling of municipal
solid waste in Bulgaria. Even if packaging waste would be included under the reporting of MSW
recycling, it will require an exceptional effort for Bulgaria to fulfil the recycling target of 50 %
by 2020.
Considering the trends in the development of the amounts of landfilled BMW from 2007 to
2010, substantial efforts will have to be undertaken if Bulgaria shall fulfil the 50 % and 35 %
targets of the EU Landfill Directive for diverting biodegradable municipal waste from landfill by
2013 and 2020.
A landfill tax introduced in 2011 is envisaged to rapidly increase until 2014. Nevertheless the
tax level is still considered as too low to effectively contribute to reducing the amount of
municipal waste being sent to landfill.
Mechanical biological treatment was introduced recently in Bulgaria. A National Strategic Plan
for diversion of the biodegradable waste going to landfills 2010-2020 was adopted of late. The
legal framework on bio-waste management is being developed under an international project.
4
1 Introduction
1.1 Objective
Based on historical MSW data for Bulgaria and EU targets linked to MSW in the Waste Framework
Directive, the Landfill Directive and the Packaging Directive, the analysis undertaken includes:
The new Waste Management Act, adopted in July 2012, introduced the EU Waste Framework
Directive into the Bulgarian legislation, regulating the obligations of municipalities and the state for
waste recycling.
The Bulgarian National Waste Management Programme for the period of 2003-2007, was actualised
in 2008, already introducing the waste management hierarchy, the proximity principle and the
producer responsibility and polluter pays principles.
The subsequent National Waste Management Programme covering the period of 2009-2013 sets the
following strategic objectives: prevention and minimization of waste generation, increase of the
quantity of recycled and recovered waste, improvement of the organization for separation, temporary
storage, collection and transportation of the waste, environmentally sound waste disposal; legal
regulation of waste management, provision of sufficient and reliable data for the waste, and
strengthening of the administrative capacity and public participation.
With Bulgarias accession to the European Union in 2007, new standards, procedures and
requirements were planned towards activities related to waste production and treatment and towards
operators performing such activities and services, the main purposes of their enforcement being to
establish firm control mechanisms and to set up guarantees for better waste recovery and protection of
the environment in general.
In 2001, the generation of municipal waste in Bulgaria was 4 million tonnes. Since then it has steadily
decreased to 3.3 million tonnes by 2007. According to Eurostat it abruptly increased to 3.6 million
tonnes in 2008, but by 2010 it dropped to 3.1 million tonnes. According to the Country specific notes
on municipal waste data of Eurostat, the landfill site in Sofia was closed between October 2005 and
5
December 2007. This led to temporary storage of collected municipal waste in these years amounting
to shares of the municipal waste generated between 2.5 % (2005) and 10 % (2006, 2007).
These amounts are not included in the figures for municipal waste generated and also caused a drop in
municipal waste landfilled in 2006 and 2007, which explains the sudden increase from 2007 to 2008.
A very large proportion of the municipal waste in Bulgaria is landfilled. The amount of municipal
waste deposited into landfills was 3 million tonnes in 2010, representing 98 % of the generated
amount (3.1 million tonnes). In 2005, a significantly smaller proportion of the generated amount was
landfilled; the landfilled amount was 3.1 million tonnes and represented only 85 % of the generated
amount (3.7 million tonnes). The difference between the generated and the landfilled amount (that in
accordance with the Eurostat statistics equalled the treated amount of municipal waste) was 536 000
tonnes in 2005. It can be assumed that it equals the estimated amount to be generated in regions
without MSW collection services.
Figure 2.0 shows the development of MSW generation per capita in Bulgaria from 2001 to 2010.
There has been a decrease in MSW generation per capita during the period.
According to the Eurostat data no material and organic recycling of municipal waste was reported by
Bulgaria from 2001 to 2010.
In Bulgaria packaging waste is not included in the reporting to Eurostat on the recycling of municipal
solid waste (cf. section 2.2). The composition of the recycled packaging waste is shown in Table 2.1.
6
There has been a significant increase in the packaging waste recycling from 2004 to 2010. The largest
proportion of recycled packaging waste is linked to paper and cardboard.
As Bulgaria has reported to Eurostat that no MSW has been recycled from 2001-2010, the yearly
increase rate from 2001 to 2010 cannot be indicated neither can it be projected from 2010 to 2020
based on the previous period. Since Bulgaria reported 0 % recycling for 2010, in order to achieve the
50 % recycling target for MSW by 20201 it will require that the recycling rate increases on an average
annually with five percentage points from 2010 to 2020. Such a yearly increase rate has not been
achieved by any European country in the period from 2000 to 2010. Even if packaging waste was
included in the reporting to Eurostat on the recycling of municipal solid waste, it will require an
exceptional effort in Bulgaria to fulfill the recycling target of 50 % by 2020.
It is likely that some recent initiatives taken after 2010 by the Bulgarian government (the Waste
Management Act, adopted in July 2012; the National Waste Management Programme for the period
2009-2013; the National Strategic Plan for diversion of biodegradable waste going to landfills 2010-
2020, and Decree No 207/16.09.2010 on landfill tax, adopted in January 2011) will contribute to
improve the recycling rate in the country.
It is a general requirement of the EU Landfill Directive that all Member States have to reduce the
amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled (BMW) by a certain percentage by 2006, 2009
and 2016. However, Bulgaria has benefited from a four year derogation period. The targets are related
to the generated amount of BMW in 1995 (2 248 000 tonnes).
Bulgaria has reported its landfilled amount of BMW to the European Commission for the years 2007
and 2008. In Figure 2.3 the amount of biodegradable MSW landfilled in 2009 has been estimated to
be the same as the 2008 figure, because there was no increase in composting from 2008 to 2009.
Bulgaria has reported to the ETC/SCP the figure for 2010 (Bulgaria, 2012).
1
The EUs updated Waste Framework Directive in 2008 (EU, 2008) includes a new 50 % recycling target for waste from
households, to be fulfilled by 2020. In 2011, the European Commission decided that countries can choose between four
different calculation methods to report compliance with this target. One of these methods is to calculate the recycling rate of
MSW as reported to Eurostat (EC, 2011).
7
In 2007, the landfilled amount was 1 400 000 tonnes, equivalent to 62 % of the generated amount in
1995.
60%
50%
Target 2013
40%
30%
10%
0%
2007 2008 2009* 2010
Source: EC, 2012 and Bulgaria, 2012. *The figure for 2009 is estimated by Copenhagen Resource Institute
(CRI). The target dates take account of Bulgarias 4 year derogation period.
The amount of landfilled BMW increased by 8 % to 1 579 000 tonnes from 2007 to 2008. For 2010,
the percentage of landfilled BMW is estimated to be 65 %, which is below the 2010 target of the
Landfill Directive (cf. Figure 2.3).
Figure 2.3 also indicates that, considering the trends in the development of the amounts of landfilled
BMW from 2007 to 2010, substantial efforts will have to be undertaken if Bulgaria shall fulfil the
50 % and 35 % diversion targets of the EU Landfill Directive by 2013 and 2020.
2.1.5 The relation between landfill tax level and recycling level of MSW
A landfill tax was introduced for municipal waste in Bulgaria in 2011. In line with the Waste
Management Act and the Decree No. 207/16.09.2010 on Landfill Tax it will gradually increase over
the years. In 2011 it was EUR 1.5/t, by 2012 it reached EUR 4.6/t and it is expected to be at 7.7 and
17.9 EUR/t respectively in 2013 and 2014 (ExEA, 2012).
The effects of the tax on the level of landfilled MSW cannot be assessed as data on the generated and
treated amounts are only available until 2010. There is no waste incineration plant in the country.
8
Figure 2.5 Development of landfilling and incineration of MSW and landfill tax in
Bulgaria
* 1 = 1,9558 Bulgarian lev (2011 annual average currency exchange rate) Source: ETC/SCP, 2012 and
Eurostat, 2012
Figure 2.5 indicates that the landfill tax is envisaged to rapidly increase from 2011; still it is
considered too low to effectively contribute to reduce the amounts of municipal waste being sent to
landfill (EC, 2012).
*
1 = 1,9558 Bulgarian lev (2011 annual average currency exchange rate). Source: ETC/SCP, 2012 and
Eurostat, 2012
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2.1.6 Environmental benefits of better MSW management
Figure 2.7 shows the development of GHG emissions from MSW management, calculated by using a
life-cycle approach. The graph shows the direct emissions, the avoided emissions and the net
emissions of the MSW management. However, avoided emissions are zero because there was no
recycling and no incineration in Bulgaria.
Figure 2.7 shows that the direct emissions as well as the net emissions from municipal waste
management peaked after a robust increase until 1996-1997. Since then a slow and gradual decrease is
calculated. In Bulgaria direct emissions from MSW are almost exclusively resulting from landfilling.
Although the amount of landfilled municipal waste nearly remained on the same level in 2010
compared to that of 2001, the emissions from landfilling municipal waste decreased more
significantly in the same period indicating improved landfill operation and the strengthening of
control by the municipal administrations.
4000
3500
0 Net
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Year
Results presented in this figure should not be used for the compilation of GHG reporting (national
inventory report of the IPCC) or compared with IPCC figures, as the methodology employed here
relies on life cycle thinking and, by definition, differs from the IPCC methodology.
2
All the GHG emissions (positive values) represent the direct operating emissions for each waste management option. These
direct operating emissions have been calculated with the use of the IPCC (IPCC, 2006) methodology for landfills and life
cycle modelling for the other technologies (incineration, recycling, biotreatment and transport). For the indirect avoided
emissions (negative values), the calculations integrate the benefits associated with the recovery of energy (heat and
electricity generated by incinerators, electricity generated by the combustion of landfill gas or methane from anaerobic
digestion). Other avoided emissions include the benefits of recycling of food and garden waste, paper, glass, metals, plastics,
textiles and wood in the municipal solid waste. Recycling is here assumed to include material recycling and biotreatment.
Avoided emissions of biotreatment include fertilizer substitution. All processes generating electricity are assumed to
substitute electricity mix of Bulgaria in 2009. Processes generating heat are assumed to substitute average heat mix for the
EU25 in 2002. The electricity mix and heat mix are assumed to remain constant throughout the whole time series. The
compositions of the MSW disposed in landfills, incinerated or recycled respectively are based on Bakas et al., 2011. The
complete methodology is available from (ETC/SCP, 2011).
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2.2 Uncertainties in the reporting
Some uncertainties or differences in the reporting of MSW can result in different levels of recycling.
One example of such differences which might influence the recycling rate of MSW in Bulgaria is to
what extent packaging waste from households and similar packaging from other sources is included in
the reported recycling of MSW. Most EEA Member Countries, including Bulgaria, have producer
responsibility schemes for packaging waste. Private operators of these schemes do not always report
on the sources of the recycled packaging waste, and therefore packaging waste is not always reported
to Eurostat as MSW.
As indicated by Figure 2.8, while the amount of recycled packaging waste was in the range of
130 000 and 175 000 tonnes between 2005 and 2009, no material and organic recycling of MSW
including compost was reported by Bulgaria in the same period.
Figure 2.8 A comparison between recycled MSW and recycled packaging waste
Another factor for uncertainty could be that in some countries the whole amount of MSW sent to
Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) is allocated to recycling at the MBT plant. As Mechanical
Biological Treatment is an entirely new practice to the country, such amounts do not appear in the
reporting but attention should be paid to this issue in the future as Bulgaria is currently introducing
MBT.
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2.3 Important initiatives taken to improve MSW management
At the end of 2002 the organized municipal waste collection had covered only 80 % of the population
of Bulgaria (NWMP 2003-2007, 2002).
In late 2006, already 90 % of the population was served by municipal waste collection systems in the
country. Despite the fact that 100 % of the urban population in Bulgaria was covered by the services
that time, only less than 40 % of the rural population was served by the collection system (NWMP
2009-2013, 2009). By 2010, the share of population covered by municipal waste collection systems
reached 98.15 % (ExEA, 2012).
In 2001, 2 500 landfills were observed by the regional environmental inspectorates in Bulgaria out of
which 124 were controlled and only 9 met the EU standards (REC, 2001).
The closing down and rehabilitation of non-compliant landfill sites and the elimination of illegal
dumpsites are still in progress in the country.
In line with the National Waste Management Programme for 2009-2013, a system of 58 new and
modern regional landfills together with pre-treatment facilities is envisaged in Bulgaria. In 2010, the
construction of open municipal sites has started for the composting of separately collected green
waste from parks and gardens. In 2011, construction of 23 regional biowaste composting facilities has
started, financed by the Environment Operational Program (ExEA, 2012).
In 2001, the collection of waste for recycling such as paper, glass, plastic and metals was limited to
buying back of separate collected waste from the population or collection of waste generated by
different manufacturers. The collection was organized independently of the municipal systems for
municipal waste collection on the basis of buying back centres, and linked to periodic campaigns
(NWMP 2003-2007, 2002).
The system of separate collection of packaging waste was introduced in Bulgaria in 2004. Back then,
only slightly more than one third of the generated packaging waste was recycled, and by 2010 this
proportion reached 61.6 % (NSI, 2012).
The first Mechanical Biological Treatment plant in Bulgaria started its pilot operation in 2009 in the
city of Plovdiv with a total capacity of 125 000 tonnes. Composting of MSW is reflected only in the
2011 reporting of MSW in Bulgaria. According to the data from the Bulgarian National Statistical
Institute (NSI) the quantity of composted MSW from in the MBT plant of Plovdiv was approximately
90 000 tonnes. In 2011, the pilot operation of another MBT plant started in Bulgaria in the region of
Varna (ExEA, 2012).
As a means of deterrent against disposal, a landfill tax was introduced for municipal waste in Bulgaria
in 2011. The level of the landfill tax is doubled for the disposal of waste in non-compliant landfills
(ExEA, 2012).
The Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) is responsible for the development and
implementation of the national waste management policy, including drafting and enforcement of the
legislation, strategies, programmes, as well as regulation of the activities in the public and private
sectors (ETC/SCP, 2009).
The Ministry performs some of these activities by the Executive Environmental Agency (EEA) and
the network of the regional competent authorities, the Regional Inspectorates of Environment and
Water (RIEW), which control the implementation of the waste management legislation (ETC/SCP,
2009).
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The organization and treatment of waste within the territory of the municipalities is the responsibility
of the municipal mayors. Commonly, mayors assign those activities through awarding of public
procurements.
Municipalities in Bulgaria that build or use a common regional landfill or treatment facility with
regional character, establish regional associations as legal entities, or enter into an agreement with
each other on waste management on a regional basis (NWMP 2009-2013, 2009).
Considering the current level of material and organic recycling of MSW in Bulgaria, exceptional
efforts will be required for fulfilling the 50 % recycling target by 2020. A certain proportion of the
recycled packaging waste from MSW sources could be reported as recycled MSW (cf. section 2.2).
The landfill tax, introduced in 2011, is envisaged to gradually increase from the entry level of 1.5
EUR/t to 17.9 EUR/t by 2014.
The recycling sector is rapidly expanding in Bulgaria. Major investments into construction of pre-
treatment facilities and installations for waste separation are envisaged to be directed from the
Operational Programme Environment 2007-2013 (NWMP 2009-2013, 2009). The European funds are
planned to be complemented by state and municipal budget as well as from loan funding from the
World Bank, EBRD, and EIB. Funds for home composting will be provided by the Environmental
Protection Fund. In 2012, the construction of an MBT and composting plant is going to start in Sofia
(ExEA, 2012).
The Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water has adopted a National Strategic Plan for diversion
of biodegradable waste going to landfill during the period of 2010-2020, to facilitate a gradual
reduction of the amount of municipal biodegradable waste going to landfill. In addition, the
development of the entire legal framework on bio-waste management is planned under an
international project in cooperation with Austria (ExEA, 2012).
It is likely that some recent initiatives taken after 2010 by the Bulgarian government (the Waste
Management Act, adopted in July 2012; the National Waste Management Programme for the period
2009-2013; the National Strategic Plan for diversion of the biodegradable waste going to landfills
13
2010-2020, and Decree no 207/16.09.2010 on landfill tax, adopted in January 2011) will contribute to
an improvement in the recycling rate in the country. However, it must be stressed that Bulgaria will
need to make an exceptional effort in order to fulfil the 50 % target of the Waste Framework Directive
by 2020.
14
References
BIPRO, 2012: Annex 7 Background information (country factsheets) PDF. Bipro (2012). Support to
Member States in improving waste management based on assessment of Member States'
performance-Annex 7 (Draft), report made by Bipro on behalf of the European Commission under
contract ENV.C.2/SER/2011/0034.
Bulgaria, 2012: The Bulgarian answer of 12 June 2012 to the Eionet review of assumptions in the
EEA and ETC/SCP model on municipal waste submitted to member countries on 27th April 2012.
http://www2.moew.government.bg/recent_doc/waste/NWMP_2003-2007EN_fin.doc
http://www3.moew.government.bg/files/file/Waste/Legislation/Zakoni/ZUO.pdf
Commission 2012: Member States reporting to the Commission according to the Landfill Directive.
Data received from Commission.
EC, 2011: Commission Decision of 18 November 2011 establishing rules and calculation methods for
verifying compliance with the targets set in Article 11(2) of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European
Parliament and the Council.
EC, 2012: Member States reporting to the Commission according to Council Directive 1999/31 of 26
April 1999 Landfill Directive and Commission Decision 2000/738/EC concerning a questionnaire for
Member States reports on the implementation of Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste. . E-
mail from the Commission to the EEA on 16 February, 2012.
EEA, 2010: State of the Environment 2010 - Material resources and waste
http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/material-resources-and-waste
Ernst & Young, 2011. Key issues in municipal waste management in EU-11 countries
http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Key_issues_in_municipal_waste_management_in_EU-
11_countries/$FILE/Raport_eng.pdf
ETC/SCP, 2011: Bakas, I., Sieck, M., Hermann, T., Andersen, F. M., Larsen, H. and Reichel, A.
(2011). Projections of Municipal Waste Management and Greenhouse Gases. ETC/SCP working
paper 4/2011. Copenhagen, Denmark, 89 pp. http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/2011WP4
European Commission (EC). 2012. Use of economic instruments and waste management
performances. The final report from 15 February 2012.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/final_report_10042012.pdf
15
ETC/SCP, 2012: Christian Fischer, Mathias Lehner and David Lindsay McKinnon Overview of the
use of landfill taxes in Europe. ETC/SCP Working paper 1, 2012.
http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/WP2012_1
Executive Environmental Agency (ExEA), Bulgaria, 2012. Emails from Rositsa Karamfilova,
Executive Environmental Agency on 1 and 10 August 2012.
NSI, 2012: Bulgarian National Statistical Institute data, 2012: Generated packaging waste,
Recycled packaging waste. http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=38
REC, 2001. Waste management policies in Central and Eastern European countries: Current policies
and trends. October, 2001.
http://archive.rec.org/REC/Programs/SofiaInitiatives/SI_waste_management.pdf
Executive Environmental Agency (ExEA), Bulgaria, 2012. Email from Camellia Dikova, Executive
Environmental Agency on 15 October 2012.
16