The Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership (E5P) fund will co-finance the construction of a new landfill for solid waste for the Gegharkunik and Kotayk marzes with a EUR 2 million grant.

EBRD Yerevan Resident Office informed that EBRD, which manages the E5P fund, and Armenia’s Ministry of Finance signed the relevant agreement today.

“The grant will support the construction of a new landfill with modern solid-waste management processes, covering the collection and disposal of municipal solid waste. It will provide major environmental and social benefits for local residents,” reads the Yerevan Resident Office message.

Work on the project started in December 2014 when the EBRD committed a EUR 3.5 million loan, which was complemented by a EUR 3.5 million grant provided by the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility.

The EU-compliant solid-waste management system will cover eight municipalities, seven in Kotayk and one in Gegharkunik.

The project was expanded in 2016 with an additional EUR 2 million sovereign loan from the EBRD. At present it covers all seven municipalities in Kotayk (Hrazdan, Abovyan, Nor Hachn, Byureghavan, Charentsavan, Eghvard, Tsakhadzor) and all five municipalities in Gegharkunik (Sevan, Vardenis, Gavar, Martuni, Chambarak).

“It is the EBRD’s first solid waste project in Armenia and supports the government’s plans to modernize and upgrade the country’s waste management system to European standards,” EBRFD informed.

The E5P grant of EUR 2 million will complement the additional EUR 2 million EBRD loan and co-finance transfer stations, waste collection and transfer trucks, waste containers and other specialized equipment.

The total project cost is EUR 11 million.

“We are very grateful to the E5P donors – especially the European Union and Sweden – and the government of Armenia as well as the local municipalities for our successful cooperation. The E5P grant is a very important contribution to this project, which will bring much-needed improvements in waste management infrastructure. It will complement the EBRD’s loan financing and ensure the successful continuation and completion of the project,” said Angela Sax, Acting Head of the EBRD in Armenia.

 “The EU is the main contributor to the E5P Fund. This project is part of the larger support that the EU is providing to Armenia in the waste management sector. To date, we have committed EUR 22.4 million in non-refundable grants, which shows the importance the EU attaches to environmental issues in the country. Our support is provided through five different projects in Kotayk, Yerevan and Vanadzor as we are co-financing with partners such as the EBRD, EIB or KfW,” emphasized EU Ambassador to Armenia Piotr Switalski.