The Republic of Moldova, a small country located in the central part of Europe, with a population of 2.6 million people, for more than 25 years has set as one of its strategic objectives the reduction of waste through the most efficient use of raw materials , as a sign of awareness of the risks attributed to the environment, health, but also the national economy. However, in the absence of an SMID (Integrated Waste Management System), the amount of municipal waste generated per capita increased by 170 % in the period 2001-2018, the connection rate to sanitation services is 52.9%, of which only 18.4% in the rural environment, and the 1136 waste dumps reported by IPM, contaminate and degrade a total area of 1225.43 ha of land. The difficulties and risks faced by a large part of the localities of the Republic of Moldova, especially in rural areas, lead the competent authorities, LPAs, economic agencies, NGOs, etc., to identify solutions to remedy the consequences of the lack of a SMID or in best case to contribute to the creation of this system.
In the absence of basic data on the generation and management of solid waste, the vast majority of localities (LPAs) do not have the capacity to make reasoned decisions, including the allocation of resources necessary for the development of SMID, as a key objective of the Management Strategy of Waste 2013-2027.
Data is absolutely essential for effective strategic interventions and to properly manage limited resources for the creation of SMID infrastructure.
The guide developed by AO E-Circular (previously AO Association for Waste Recovery) and financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) from the funds of the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) starts from the observance the principles of the waste hierarchy and the circular economy, including best practices for solid waste management in urban and rural areas of the Republic of Moldova. The information in the guide is structured in an easy-to-read and applicable format for the target group addressed, such as APCs, LPAs, PMs, staff employed by these institutions and involved in solid waste management. The guide may also be useful for other stakeholders, such as non-governmental organizations, private sector actors, etc.
