This Project is a part of Latvian National solid waste management strategy, which was started to implement in 1997. The goals are to achieve compliance with EU directives and standarts in solid waste management industry.
Project covers Liepaja region with total territory of 3600 km2, population of 130’000. Project includes 6 towns – Liepaja, Aizpute, Durbe, Grobina, Pavilosta and Priekule and 25 parishes.
115’000 m3 of waste produced in Liepaja city and region were being disposed in 27 dumpsites. Largest of these – Skede has received an amount of 90’500 m3 of waste or 79% of total produced in Liepaja city and region. Most of these dumpsites were located in a geologically unsuitable locations (high groundwater levels), none of a dumpsites had a barrier (artificial, or natural) to protect a groundwater from polluting with leachate.
Project goals
The goals of this project are to create a modern waste management system featuring maximum collection and use of waste gas for production of electricity, as to create a modern sanitary compliant waste technology, prevent groundwater pollution, arrange environment, lower greenhouse gas emissions by signing a contract with Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF).
Financing organizations of the project “Solid waste management in Liepaja region, Latvia”
European Union (ISPA fund) – 35%
The World Bank – 16%
Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF) – 14%
Nordic Investment Bank – 11%
Government of Sweden – 5%
National investment programm – 10%
Municipalities of Liepaja region – 3%
Liepaja city council – 6%
In the frameworks of the project various contracts have been signed and implemented with a financing of the Cohesion Fund in amount of 63%:
- Construction contract: Remediation of Skede landfill;
- Construction contract: Construction of waste disposal site „Kivites” in Liepaja region, Grobina parish;
- Supply contract: Supply and installation of energy conversion units;
- Supply contract: Supply and installation of leachate treatment plant at site „Kivites”;
- Service contract: Technical supervision of the construction works.
The implemented benefits for Liepaja city and region at all are:
„Liepajas RAS” Ltd. has been founded to manage remediated Liepaja city landfill „Skede” and the waste processing plant „Kivites”.
During a period 2002 – 2004 remediated all 25 small landfills in Liepaja region, so cleaned up the environment and groundwater polluting spots, eliminated further pollution.
In 2004 Liepaja city landfill „Skede” has been closed down and remediated. It was established at the end of the 60-ies, ashore the Tosmare lake. As the waterside territory of the lake is rich with a rare flora, in 1999 the lake was declared as a reserve and a waste disposal under no circumstances can be allocated in such area. Now instead of a hill of waste there is a 15m high hill what is covered by green grass, where biogas and leachate collecting systems are built in. Another benefit – electricity is being produced using the collected biogas.
In a period of time from 2003 to 2005 regional waste processing plant was constructed, which is located in Grobina parish „Kivites”. The plant is environmentaly safe, where waste is disposed according to laws and regulations of the Republic of Latvia for safe and friendly disposing of household waste. The plant uses energy cell technology for managing a household waste. Biogas has been collected for production of electricity. Now biogas is used for heating of buildings what are located in a territory of waste processing plant. The plant has been equipped with reverse osmosis type leachate treatment equipment, what means the drained water is absolutely enviromentally friendly.
The Project was completed on June 30, 2007.
Implementation of the project in amount of 63 % has been cofinanced by European Union.
The project „Solid waste management in Liepaja region, Latvia” helps to reduce the economical and social diferences between citizens of EU.