2024-04-11 21:02:05
In episode 2, the plot is why RDF fuel is being buried
Sofia has 4 big problems with the Garbage Plant – the failed incinerator, the landfill, the meager interest in separate collection and the future “fair” determination of the garbage fee. These are all questions that have been looking for a solution for years, and since January they have been used for political accusations between the mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, and the municipal councilors from GERB-SDS. According to Terziev’s team
the danger that Sofia will have nowhere to collect its waste is real
because of the lack of business of the previous administration.
The first problem is that the fourth cell in the “Sadinata” depot is already filling up, and it will be full for up to 28 months. Work has not yet started on the 4th and 5th cells, where there will also be expropriations. Thus, if there are no urgent measures, in 2 years Sofia will be faced with the search for a solution where to take its garbage.
The problem with separate collection is no less. The reason is that by 2035 we need to recycle 65% of household waste and only 10% go to landfills.
Another problem is waiting at the door of “Moskovska” 33 – from January 1, the garbage fee must be based on the polluter pays principle. It must be determined in relation to the amount of waste actually disposed of or the number of users. However, this could lead to a tenfold increase in the fee in Sofia, and there are still no calculations and simulations of how this will happen. However, the most likely option for the capital is to pay per population.
Realistically, in order not to have a garbage crisis, an incinerator should be built where the municipality burns RDF (the solid fuel derived from waste). Last year, the third phase of the plant – the construction of the installation for the production of electricity and steam from waste at the site of the “Sofia” TPP – finally failed. The project was to be financed under OP “Environment” – over BGN 177 million, and another BGN 134 million with a loan from the European Investment Bank. The goal was to produce heat and electricity from fuel from waste, and “Toplofikatsia” would receive the raw material for free.
It is unofficially known that the municipality is working on several projects to upgrade the garbage installation. One of them is to build it in the factory itself in the village of Yana. And so, through modern technologies, it is possible to dry and produce gas on site, by heating at a high temperature. It could be transferred according to the current system and thus reach the tets. In the future, the sale of cooling energy could be considered.
Now the only option is for the municipality to pay millions to cement plants to burn RDF. The problem is that it can produce 180,000 tons per year, and currently only “Holsim” burns part of it. This is the reason that ready-made fuel was buried in the landfill, and 2/3 of the approximately 1,100 tons of waste that is generated in the capital every day went to the bunkers.
The second episode of the political accusation began after a visit of municipal councilors from GERB to the plant on Wednesday. They alarmed that the produced RDF, instead of being burned, is being buried in the nearby Sadinata landfill. The new management had reduced the number of workers to separate the recyclable waste.
“Before there were 33 workers, now there are 8
on shift. Everyone has to process 70 tons of waste per shift,” said Georgi Georgiev from GERB.
According to the municipality, this is not a problem from now on, and it has been done before to reduce the volume of garbage. In addition, it can be dug up and sold. The quality of the fuel has already improved and there is interest in it from 7 companies. The future public order for the burning of garbage would cost three times less than the one that was terminated last year. Thus, by the end of the year, the amount of landfilled waste will decrease to 10%, and the incinerated amount will reach 180,000 tons.
Currently, 16 people are responsible for separating recyclable garbage, the municipality responded to the allegations. A contract for BGN 1 million has already been signed with the municipal “Sofekostroy” for the dispatch of another 24 people. The terminated contract with “Ecobulsor” was for BGN 4 million. “From 2019 to June 2023, BGN 13,677 million was given for separation, and BGN 353,178 was received from the sold materials,” explained the temporary director of the Nikolay Savov Garbage Plant.