VELTION Ltd

Support services for local authorities

Support services for the organization of the collection and management of municipal solid waste at local authorities.

1. Brief analysis of the problem – The need for systematic management

The last two years, the field of management of municipal solid waste (MSW) has gained considerable mobility, mainly because of PPP projects that are in progress (Western Macedonia, Peloponnese, Western Greece, Central Macedonia, Attica) and conventional projects (Central Greece, Crete). The possible successful outcome of the competitions would bring the municipal authorities and the local communities towards new problems, especially with the increased disposal cost.

The Municipalities will need to urgently address the new treatment and disposal costs (estimated to range between 50 – 100 Euros/tone). These amounts should be collected from the citizens. It is noted that according to the formed institutional framework, the Municipalities will be obliged, during the preparation of the budget, to demonstrate the coverage of management fees from citizens payments.

In order for the municipal taxes to not have a significant increase, they should consider 3 issues:

• Reduce the volume of waste lead to treatment and disposal
• The management cost coverage the municipal taxes already imposed
• The equitable distribution through taxes among citizens with the parallel implementation of the ‘polluter pays’ principle

2. EU directives – Institutional framework

The basic components of the framework being set are:

A. Directive 2008/98 and the new role of waste prevention and recycling, with the binding targets set out.
B. Directive 1999/31 on the need to process MSW.
C. Implementation of the landfill tax, which also leads to the need for action to prevent and recycle.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPORT SERVICES OF VELTION Ltd. TO THE MUNICIPALITIES

3.1. TECHNICAL PLANNING

VELTION Ltd. and its associates offer the following services:
A. Setting up an Integrated MSW Management Plan, which obeys the hierarchical management pyramid (prevention – recycling – processing – disposal) and will include:

• Design and implementation programs to prevent and reduce waste volume, combined with information  and awareness campaigns
• Redesign the collection system to implement separate collection streams along with the possibility to compare different methods and application (small, bins, bags, green spots, etc).

B. Redesign the cleanliness system of urban centers in order to improve the image it emits, while reducing costs (use best practices from countries in Southern Europe).
C. Restructuring of the plan management services, as self-sustainable activities, so as to create within the municipality a strong management mechanism.
D. Plan for the relations management with the corresponding HSWMA management, processing (FOSDA) and recycling organization(s).
E. Implementation of the “green auction” plan, depending on the characteristics of the municipality.

3.2 FINANCIAL PLANNING

The above actions have measurable results and can lead to significant savings. The financial planning services include:

• Financial assessment and evaluation of the proposed alternatives to the investment and operating costs. Implementation of Full Cost Accounting (FCA)
• Consideration to change the billing for equitable distribution fees (pay as you throw), by applying intelligent costing and system sustainability tools, with provision for future required investments and actions.
• Measuring the return fees. What costs can be met from existing charges with different management.
• Design monitoring system for the financial management of the whole process.
• Investigate and make proposals for funding the implementation of the system, such as NSRF (from similar projects / subprojects waste management), Environment Operational Programs (mainly for the separate collection of organic), Administrative Reform, PPP etc.

3.3 APPLICATION SUPPORT

• Support to the system to implement the system
• Monitoring the implementation / operation system (technical, managerial, financial)
• Suggestions for improvement and / or adjustment of the system to new data.