Over one third (32.85%) of the 3.058 million tonnes of municipal waste generated in 2021 is incinerated. These are the first conclusions of the report “Waste Incineration in Bulgaria Behind the Curtain – Quantities, Health and Technology”, which “For the Earth” presented in Veliko Tarnovo a day ago. The place was chosen because of the partnership with the civil organization “You Decide” – Pavlikeni, especially active in their position against the proposal of “Petrurgia” Ltd. for a waste incineration plant in the village of. Varbovka, Pavlikeni municipality, Veliko Tarnovo region.
The report “Waste Incineration in Bulgaria Behind the Curtain – Quantities, Health and Technology” is the response of For the Earth to the worrying trend to invest in waste incineration, which creates a number of health and environmental risks and hinders the development of municipal systems for more recycling and composting. The result is that controversial waste incineration projects are springing up like mushrooms all over Bulgaria, despite the dangers to human health and the environment. According to data from the National Statistical Institute and Eurostat for 2021, Bulgaria is achieving 28.2% recycling against targets of 60% recycling by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 10% landfill. Thus 30-40% will be incinerable in 2030. At this stage, RDF and sorting residues represent nearly 58% of the permitted incineration capacity. As of 31 May 2024 alone, there are at least three environmental permit procedures underway for a total of 667,540 tonnes of waste per year, two of which are on the territory of Devnya municipality. The whole Pavliken area and neighbouring municipalities are also threatened with such a fate because of the investment plan of Petrurgia Ltd. to burn 180 thousand tons of waste per year.
A recent study by the Public Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development showed that more than 40% of the municipality’s garbage handed over for processing to the plant in the village of Varna is used for waste disposal. Ezerovo – “Eco Invest”, was subsequently sent for recycling to the cement plant “Heidelberg Matiriles Devnya”.
The study uses public information in the National Waste Information System and compares different incineration methods and technologies, also addressing potential health risks. The full report is due to be published in autumn 2024. It will also compare the technologies used by the operators that are allowed to incinerate waste in Bulgaria – Holsim Bulgaria and Heidelberg Matiriles Devnya, TPP Bobov AD, Toplofika Sliven EAD, etc. – and focus on the negative health effects, about which very little is known.
“The reason for the study is our desire to lift the veil and shed light on the amounts of waste being incinerated, the technologies being used and the effects these processes are having on human health and the environment. First of all, there is a lack of uniform, comparable and understandable information on the quantities of waste incinerated in Bulgaria. It is available in various reports and permits of companies carrying out this activity or has to be requested under the Access to Public Information Act, which takes time and expert work. The Executive Environmental Agency refused to provide information on the quantities of waste incinerated by code for each installation on the pretext that this information is confidential. Citizens are also unaware of the health effects and environmental risks of using different incineration technologies, and a detailed report addressing these topics will be published in autumn 2024. The reason for the increasing pressure to increase incineration capacities is also not discussed,” says Desislava Stoyanova from the Environmental Association “For the Earth”.
We remind you that incineration is considered an outdated and unprofitable way to deal with waste – the project for a waste incineration plant in Sofia would have been the last incinerator built with EU funds if it had not been declared illegal in court. There are now fully tested and well-documented examples of working approaches by local authorities across Europe and around the world that are achieving excellent results with their sustainable waste management without resorting to incineration. The path to a circular economy leaves incineration in the past and is based on optimised source separation and maximum material recovery of recyclables and bio-waste. Unlike incineration, these approaches are more efficient, cheaper, more adaptable, risk-free and safe for human health and the environment.
