Albania Report 2016: Country Has Weak Waste Management Capacities

TIRANA, November 16

Albania 2016 Report issued by the European Commission among other issues was not positive regarding waste management. It says that dumping and disposal of waste still don’t comply with environmental protection standards. In other words, this means that Albania doesn’t have the necessary capacity for managing domestic waste and law enforcement mechanisms.
“Waste segregation is non-existent and waste collection for recycling purposes is largely informal. The institutional capacity to manage waste still remains weak at all levels. Waste disposal remains largely noncompliant with environmental protection standards. Industrial waste management is poor due to lack of investments and weak law enforcement. The national waste management strategy and action plan, approved in 2011 and currently under revision, as well as the regional plans, have not been implemented yet,” the report says.

On the other hand, the Parliament adopted a law on waste import only for recycling purposes, which was blocked by the President Bujar Nishani with the argument that it was against Article 59 of the Albanian Constitution. However, the bill on waste import is expected to be voted again by the Parliament on November 24.
Moreover, the initiative faced the stance of citizens that considered it as a national betrayal.

News Source: Scan TV