Waste - State and impacts (Albania)

Municipal waste increased in 2009 compared to previous years (Figure 1). This is evidence of the increasing consumer behaviour of the population which inevitably leads to more municipal waste. On the other hand, waste from the construction sector decreased during 2009 compared to previous years (Figure 2). Total waste is shown in Table 1.

Figure 1: Municipal solid waste 2005–09

Source: Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunication

Figure 2: Construction and demolition waste 2005–09

Source: Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunication

Table 1: Total generation of waste

Source: Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunication

The composition of waste over the period September–December 2009, according to a study conducted by the project Implementation of National Plan for Approximation of Environmental Legislation (INPAEL), is given in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Composition of waste, September–December 2009

Source: INPAEL project

The waste management system is at a low level because of the weak collection systems in cities and almost no collection systems in rural areas. Private companies, financed by municipalities, clean the cities, and collect and transport waste to landfills. Albania has very few recycling/reusing systems for waste and few engineered landfills for the disposal of waste. The necessary stipulation for waste recycling is the separation of the waste at source; a request to organise and establish separate collection systems of waste from households has been made to local authorities (municipalities). This system will help in the separation of plastic, glass and metallic packaging, paperboard, unrefined aluminates, etc.

Most of the waste in rural areas is deposited in undefined places and especially in water courses where waste is then transported to other places. There is no system for the safe management of hazardous waste (neither domestic nor commercial). The main method for waste treatment is the construction of landfills although it should be noted that these landfills are not properly constructed and, thus, cause continuing pollution of the environment.

Hazardous waste generated by the industrial sector and municipal wastes are deposited together with urban waste. The biggest problem at landfills is uncontrolled fires, which release toxic gases (dioxin, furan) in populated areas, presenting a serious problem for human health. Also of concern are the polluted water sinks created at the landfills and not treated, which poses a great risk of polluting surface waters and groundwater.

Progress towards better waste management has been made in the construction of new landfills in some regions which comply with environmental standards. Further landfills are under development (Table 3).

Table 3: Waste landfills in Albania