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The main goals of the state policy of solid domestic waste management and the ways to achieve them are defined in the policy documents, but it can be noted according to the current situation that the goals of the policy measures defined by the legislation have not been implemented, therefore, the principle of targeted efficiency has not been observed. This was stated by the Chairman of the Audit Chamber (AC) Atom Janjughazyan at the joint sitting of the NA Standing Committees on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs and on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Protection on May 20, presenting the current conclusion of the Audit Chamber regarding the results of the audit of the performance of the solid waste management process in the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia for debate.

The sitting was moderated by the Committee Chairs Tsovinar Vardanyan and Vahe Ghalumyan.

According to the rapporteur, the purpose of the audit was to assess the implementation process of solid domestic waste management strategy in the Republic of Armenia.

Atom Janjughazyan specifically mentioned that 32 measures in 4 directions were planned to be implemented in the field in 2021-2023. Some of them were completed later than the specified dates: 4 measures of garbage collection were not carried out, etc.

According to the audit, it was found that as of the beginning of 2021, before the enlargement of the communities, organized garbage collection was carried out only in urban and suburban settlements, and in 58 communities it was not carried out at all. The Ministry informed that by the end of 2023, garbage collection was carried out in all the communities of the republic.

The rapporteur pointed out that proposals were submitted to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure based on the protocol, and certain clarifications were received.

Summarizing the report, Atom Janjughazyan referred to the audit priorities of the Audit Chamber for 2024-2026, one of which concerns air pollution. It was underlined that solid wastes are of significant importance from the viewpoint of air pollution. According to the rapporteur, in this regard, Armenia has something to think about, because according to the data of the World Health Organization, the level of air pollution in Armenia is 6 times higher, and among the 31 countries of the world, Armenia ranks 22nd in terms of air pollution. According to the same statistics, the death rate due to air pollution in Armenia exceeds the world average data by 19%, and the average European rate by 2.6 times. “In our opinion, these are factors worthy of attention, which should make us more alert and consistent with the policy implemented in this field,” he said.

The Government’s viewpoint on the issue was presented by the RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan, pointing out the great work done. The Deputy Minister detailed the process of elaborating the strategy and noted that enough measures have been implemented. As a result of the amalgamation of communities, instead of 320 landfills in 2022, 120 are currently being considered. He also informed that no landfill was closed.

“As long as new landfills are not built, it is not possible to close the old ones, because it requires, if not direct, but comparable costs. There should be a regular garbage collection in order to talk about excluding the irregular accumulation of garbage,” the Deputy Minister said. He mentioned that the current law is quite good in terms of opportunities.

“Garbage removal is the expression of public life and behavior,” Vache Terteryan said, summing up his speech.

The Deputy Minister answered the MPs’ questions as well.