Integrated Solid Waste Management Programme (KfW)

An accession candidate since 2014, Albania is working to align its environmental standards to those of the EU. Today’s waste-management practices are still dominated by a linear collect-and-dispose approach instead of integrated sustainable waste-management. KfW plans to support the implementation of the recently adopted National Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan (2020–2035) with a €61.9 million project, complemented with a SECO grant of €4.75 million. Additional SECO grants for bridging services and financial support to selected civil society organisations will further enhance the sustainability of the investments.

The overall goal of the Programme is to provide better, more reliable, affordable and climate-friendly waste management services based on EU regulations and standards for the inhabitants of the participating municipalities. The ambition is to align Albanian municipal solid waste management with the EU environmental and climate change acquis. The investments in infrastructure and in the strengthening of technical, financial and institutional capacities at the municipal, regional and national levels will improve the health of the population and the environment as well as make the targeted regions more attractive for economic activities, thus providing for a superior quality of life in 8 out of 10 waste zones in Albania. Through joining the ISWMP, SECO builds on the bilateral SWMP, phase I, to extend sustainable and climate-friendly solid waste management services to other areas in Albania and ensure a proper handover of its activities to other development partners (KfW, evt. EU).

Increased collection of municipal waste generated in urban and rural areas contributes to more liveable and attractive urban and rural areas of the programme.

Reduced emission of greenhouse gases and increased separation of waste at source contribute to the protection of the health of the population and the environment in the programme areas.

Enhanced sustainability of the relevant actors, including the regional utilities and the participating municipalities, with improved planning, operation and governance.

Bridging services (bilateral): Previous SECO investments are consolidated and the joint ISWMP with KfW is prepared.

Financial support (bilateral): Selected civil society organisations are strengthened to hold the government (national and local level) accountable for its performance in the waste sector as well as to raise awareness in the population.

Risultati principali attesi:  

Unregulated landfills in the programme area have been closed and new sanitary landfills have been built in line with national legislation and EU standards.

Modern sorting plants, transfer stations as well as recycling plants in the programme area have been built.

The relevant actors (including the regional utilities and the participating municipalities) have received institutional and capacity development support, enabling them to fulfil their respective roles effectively.

Risultati fasi precedenti:  

The relevant ministries consider the SWMP in the Berat Region, phase I, funded by SECO to be a showcase for the development of waste management in Albania. The project successfully strengthened the institutional capacities of five municipalities. As a result, 185’000 people in the Berat Region benefit from improved solid waste management services (a coverage of 89% compared to 78% in 2019). Three rehabilitated dumpsites now comply with EU standards (90% compared to 75% in 2018), considerably improving sanitary treatment of solid waste. Waste management cost coverage through fees have increased to 96% in 2021 (compared to 88% in 2019). The project also helped to create a policy and regulatory framework that included preparing municipal and regional waste management plans, conducting a feasibility study for future regional investment measures, and raising public awareness. The training curricula developed may be transferred to the Albanian School of Public Administration for scale-up.