Azerbaijan, Baku, July 4 / Trend, I.Khalilova /
A World Bank mission led by Frank Van Verdun will today visit Baku to review the preparation process of a complex household waste management project in Azerbaijan, the WB Baku Office said. The bank's mission will end its work on July 8.
The Turkish Ecodenge is assisting in preparing a strategy for managing solid wastes in Baku for 20 years. In addition, it's planned to prepare analytical studies on the prediction of the number of population, the study of the existing system of solid waste management, waste composition, study of tariffs and analysis of legal aspects.
Greek Harress Pikel Consult AG Company will provide advice on rehabilitation or liquidation of the landfills for solid waste, including Balakhany landfill.
Depending on their conditions, it is envisaged to reconstruct or close landfills, thereby improve the system of waste management in Baku, and reduce their environmental impact.
In addition, Azerbaijani ACEP Company has been selected to assess the environmental impact of reconstruction or elimination of landfills.
The WB considers the implementation of this project successful, which is confirmed by the result of done work on the Balakhani landfill.
The project was approved by the Board of Directors of the World Bank in June 2008.
The project started in 2009 and will continue until 2013.
The total project cost is $41.5 million, of $29.5 million of accounted for WB loan and the rest will be funded by the Azerbaijani government.
The loan has been issued for 20 years.
The Economic Development Ministry's program envisaged forming a waste management system, to which the WB will issue loan worth $29.5 million, and Azerbaijan's part will be $41.5 million. It is planned to implement the project within 5 years. The loan is issued for 20 years.
Project activities will be implemented in five areas - institutional reforms, capacity-building and management, regulation and management of the Balakhani solid waste, closure of sites and management of equipment for solid waste collection, development of an investment plan for the period after completion of the project.