According to Eurostat, in 2018 on average, 12 kg of hazardous waste was generated in every household in Lithuania, while the European Union average was 9 kg. The results of the survey showed that a large part of the Lithuanian population faces problems in identifying hazardous waste, does not know who collects it and to whom it should be handed over.
Such hazardous waste as residues of various hazardous substances, such as paint, varnish, solvents, thinners and adhesives, packaging from various hazardous substances, empty aerosol cans, asbestos (slate) waste, non-functioning electrical and electronic equipment, car maintenance waste (lubricants, oils, polishes etc.) accumulate in the households of the Lithuanian population. The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, acutely aware of the importance of hazardous waste identification and seeking to improve its management system which is currently established in Lithuania, is implementing the HAZ-IDENT project funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism to improve the capabilities of environmental authorities.
How do Lithuanians sort hazardous waste?
During the implementation of the HAZ-IDENT project, in preparation to review the current situation in the field of hazardous waste identification, a survey of Lithuanian residents was conducted by UAB Ekokonsultacijos.
According to Lina Šleinotaitė-Kalėdė, a representative of UAB Ekokonsultacijos, the majority of the interviewees were at least partially aware of what hazardous household waste is and that it needs to be separated from other waste. As many as 86 percent of respondents sort this waste, at least partly. 14 percent indicated that they do not sort it at all and simply throw it in mixed municipal waste containers along with other garbage or believe that such waste is not generated in their household.
Studies carried out in 2018–2020 showed that the amount of hazardous waste attributed to the population in the mixed municipal waste is on average 0.60%.
Respondents who do not sort hazardous waste said they did not know how to do it correctly, and one in five respondents thought there is a lack of information regarding this matter. Approximately the same proportion of respondents receive all the necessary information from television or find it online. However, the majority of respondents (80%) indicated that the proper management of domestic hazardous waste would be easier to do if there was more information about the correct sorting and management of such waste.
The study also showed that residues of household chemicals and cleaning products, outdated medicines or medical supplies, personal hygiene and cosmetics comprised most of the hazardous waste accumulated in the population’s homes. Most often, Lithuanian residents stated that they bring this type of hazardous waste to special collection containers installed in gas stations, shops or other places, less often they bring the waste to a bulky waste collection point or, in the case of older medicines, to a pharmacy.
Where to dispose of hazardous waste?
Separate collection systems for household hazardous waste are in place in all Lithuanian municipalities – this waste is accepted at bulky waste collection sites and collected at least two times per year at no additional charge, except for the established local fee or fee for municipal waste collection and management. The municipality or the administrator of the local waste management service must regularly inform the population about the date, time, and place when bulky municipal waste, including hazardous waste, will be collected.
Waste batteries are also collected at distribution points of these products, whereas expired medicines are collected at pharmacies. Empty packaging for household aerosol dispensers, personal care products, hair mousse/spray dispensers, medicine bottles, cosmetics, dishwashing liquids, and detergents is classified according to the packaging material (plastic, glass, metal or paper) as non-hazardous packaging waste and disposed of via a system for the separate collection of packaging waste.
The HAZ-IDENT project purpose is to develop a national methodology for the identification of hazardous waste for state, municipal institutions, and establishments, as well as for economic operators and the population, which would allow the correct application of national and European Union legislation on waste classification, ensure proper and efficient identification and classification of hazardous waste and facilitate safe and efficient collection and disposal of hazardous waste.
The project also envisages the development of a tool that could be used by the population for the assessment of hazardous properties of certain waste and for the classification of municipal waste as possibly hazardous.
Based on the created methodology, an electronic tool will be developed, and training sessions will be organized in order to teach representatives of environmental protection institutions and companies engaged in waste management activities to use the developed general waste identification methodology.
