Baku, June, 2012

National Solid Waste Management Sector Assessment  (ESW – Economic and Sector Work) Report conducted by Sustainable Development Department for Azerbaijan were discussed in workshop arranged jointly by Ekodenge (Environmental Consultant firm from Turkey) and World Bank Baku office.The report, prepared under a World Bank financed Economic and Sector Work (ESW) has the objective to support the Government in developing and formulating a national strategy for sustainable and integrated municipal solid waste management by conducting a country wide sector analysis and providing inputs for the preparation of a draft National Strategy paper.

This ESW provides an assessment of the current situation in municipal SWM in Azerbaijan and establishes a minimum scenario to improve basic environmental conditions and service levels. The report highlights crucial institutional changes and estimates the investment needs that are needed to achieve improvements over the medium to long term. Based on this analysis, the report formulates approaches to improve sector infrastructure, service levels and financial sustainability and formulates policy recommendations for improving basic solid waste service delivery performance in Azerbaijan.

First,
the report gives an overview of, and analyze major shortcomings in, the current situation in the SWM sector, including on service levels and coverage; collection, disposal and treatment practices; the legal and institutional framework; and financial sustainability.

Second,
a basic improvement scenario is  established based on the current conditions, waste generation projections and key sector principles to illustrate minimum requirements for upgrading the SWM system to internationally accepted service levels and sanitary conditions.

Third,
the report  analyzes in detail adjustments needed to the institutional and legal framework; makes estimates about the required collection, transport and disposal infrastructure; and calculates investment and financing needs, including cost-recovery and tariff setting targets.

Finally,
the report discusses different options to further develop the sector beyond the basic improvements and provide recommendations for policy makers on the sequence and priority of actions to be taken.