Mongolia, January 07, 2019
Aim Texas Overseas Management Group (AIMOMG) has attended a tender in providing consultancy services for Ulaanbaatar Solid Waste Modernization Project Environmental & Social Assessment (EBRD 76097, Mongolia).
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD” or the “Bank”) approved funding to the Government of Mongolia to finance priority solid waste investments in the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar, including the expansion of landfill capacity and building a Construction and Demolition Waste (“CDW”) plant. The EBRD has signed a loan agreement with the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar and a Project Support Agreement with the Ministry of Finance in May 2018. Implementation of this Project would promote disposal of solid waste in the cities in landfills designed to EU standards with the exception of hazardous waste that cannot be currently segregated from the MSW. Waste generation in Ulaanbaatar is estimated at 1.1 million tons per annum and the existing landfill sites are mostly not well engineered and close to reaching capacity.
Landfill Sites in Ulaanbaatar
Rapid population growth in Ulaanbaatar (an increase from 773,000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2012) has led to increasing levels of solid waste generation within the city. It is estimated that of the 500-600,000 tons of solid waste produced annually, 50% is derived from households, 25% from business entities, 20% from construction, and 5% from roads and streets, respectively.
The three landfills are managed by Landscaping and Cleaning Service Department (LCSD) of the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar, and LCSD will be the implementing agency for this project. Waste pickers work on all three landfill sites. The total number of waste pickers across the three sites is estimated to be around 400 – 500 people.
The MDDS is located in Khoroo 12 of the Khan-Uul District of Ulaanbaatar, and the nearest Ger area of Khan-Uul Khoroo 12 is approximately 1.2 km north and 1.4km west, with the nearest household 700m to the northwest of the site.
Objectives of the Assignment
The objective of the E&S Impact Assessment is to identify and assess the potentially significant existing and future adverse environmental and social impacts associated with the Company’s current operations and the proposed Project, assess compliance with applicable laws and EU EIA Directive, determine the measures needed to prevent or minimize and mitigate the adverse impacts, and identify potential environmental and social opportunities, including those that would improve the environmental and social sustainability of the Project and/or the associated current operations.
The assessment process will be commensurate with, and proportional to, the potential impacts and issues of the Project and the Company’s existing operations. The assessment will cover, in an integrated way, all relevant direct and indirect environmental and social impacts and issues of the Company’s operations, the Project and the relevant stages of the project cycle (e.g. pre- construction, construction, operation, and decommissioning or closure and reinstatement).
Specifically, the Consultant will:
- Identify existing and project-related environmental and social impacts and risks.
- Describe and characterize a relevant environmental and social baseline commensurate with risks posed by the current site operations and the project.
- Carry out E&S Impact Assessment and develop a draft E&S Impact Assessment report in accordance with the EU EIA Directive.