Chemicals

The region of Strumica has been widely known for its intensive early gardening production. Agriculture is the predominant occupation of people living in rural areas so apart from the household waste, a large amount of waste is also produced from agricultural production and instead of being used it is often ploughed in or burnt in the fields. One such type of waste is the agricultural plastic covering foil. The enormous usage of this particular foil in the early gardening production, the absence of organized collection and transportation to collection centers, the absence of recycling facilities in this region as well as the lack of awareness, lead to the agricultural producers burning the used foils in the fields or use them as a heating material for their green house. The combustion of this type of waste releases POP s (Persistent Organic Pollutants), i.e. dioxins and furans of which the most famous is 2,3,7,8 TCDD which is extremely toxic and takes up to 10-12 years to dissolve in the soil. It is listed as a known human carcinogen. Despite the fact that Strumica region is one of the largest producers of plastic foil waste, which has a direct impact on the environment, there is still no recycling facility for this type of waste. According to the economic parameters on how to solve the problem with plastic waste, the most cost-effective solution seems to be for the facility to draw 60% of the raw material from its location. This is a project proposal to build/set up such a facility in Strumica and thus decrease transportation expenses as well as raise collectors awareness and make it their habit to bring the plastic waste to this specialized facility as it is done in the Tetovo region in the recycling facility Agropal. During 2006/2007 EA Planetum carried out a Project on the Reduction of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Kuklis and Prosenikovo through an organized collection of agricultural plastic foil waste and its preparation for recycling. This project, which was funded by GEF PMG, brought us to the conclusion that in such future endeavors we should change the concept or methodology of the project itself. This means that the project should be adapted to the habits and/or mentality of the people living in the area where it is being carried out. This project is to be carried out in Murtino and Bansko and its concept will be adapted so as to avoid all the problems we encountered during the realization of the first project in 2006/2007. Collection points will be opened and locals will be employed as purchasers. They will be paid a percentage of the total collected plastic waste which will amount to the average salary in this region. EA Planetum will open separate bank accounts and 20% of the amount will be used for the interests of the inhabitants i.e. in the form of a donation of building materials etc. EA Planetum will be transparent about how they use the funds. We will either put up notifications and receipts in the local shops or print out and distribute leaflets containing detailed information as to how the money is being used.

Macedonia