Waste

What You Should Know

Waste management in Armenia is very unregulated – out of over 300 dumpsites in the country, only around 20 are government-approved. There are numerous consequences to human health and the environment as a result of so many dump sites!

Human Health

Burning to get rid of or sort trash releases hazardous fumes into the air that, when breathed in, are damaging to the human respiratory system (lungs, throat). Pollutants like dioxins, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide, and more are produced and have been linked to diseases. 

Dioxins, in particular, can settle on plants and in turn be eaten by humans or meat animals and thus build up in the body to later be detrimental to human health. For more information on the pollutants released from burning and their effects, see this US EPA page.

Environment

Similarly, burning reduces air quality for plants and animals trying to live. Solid waste presents health hazards for scavenging animals who might become sick from ingestion of food waste or toxins. 

Lack of separation of wet waste and dry waste contributes to the production of greenhouse gases and leaching of chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Hazardous waste also plays a large role in adding chemicals and pollutants to the environment. In this way, anyone or anything using the soil or water to live will also face the health effects of chemical contamination. 

Wet waste is any organic matter containing moisture, mostly kitchen scraps. Dry waste is any item that is not biodegradable, or that won’t decompose/break down for many years. The combination of these two wastes means the slow decomposition of materials manufactured with toxins and chemicals. This results in unnatural liquids and gases that damage an environment which could be kept cleaner and safer with some of the strategies below. 

To learn more about adverse environmental effects of dump sites, specifically in Armenia, visit the Armenian Environmental Network’s page on waste management. 

What You Can Do

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste should never be mixed with normal household waste! Hazardous wastes include:

  • E-waste
    • Batteries, computer parts, wires, watches, cellphones, light bulbs
  • Toxic Substances
    • Paints, cleaning agents, solvents, insecticides, pesticides, other chemicals
  • Biomedical waste
    • Syringes, expired medicines, thermometers, used cosmetics

A more complete list can be found on this website. For a list of hazardous wastes in Armenian legislation, visit this website.

As Armenia has no hazardous waste processing centers, these items should be kept in a separate storage container away from any dump sites for as long as possible. The container should be impervious to environmental factors such as resistant to wind, rain, and animals.

Source Separation

Between 45-55% of the average household trash in Armenia is wet waste, which means that the amount of waste produced for dump sites could potentially be cut in half. Most wet waste can be composted at home or through community composting initiatives. Dry waste includes items such as:

  • Paper
  • Glass
  • Plastics
  • Metal
  • Rubber
  • Fabric
  • Wood
  • Leather
  • Styrofoam

Many dry items can be repurposed for different uses around the home, but if not, simply keeping wet waste out of dump sites will reduce the severity of negative consequences to health and the environment. An NGO in Yerevan runs a recycling program, which you can learn more about on the Ecoaghb website. There are 40 recycling programs around the country; visit this page to see a complete list and the type of materials they recycle.

For more information on different types of wastes and questions about what to do with certain items, visit this page about waste separation. 

Items in the green bin are wet waste and items in the blue bin are dry waste!

Composting

What do you do with all this wet waste? Composting is a great way to cycle nutrients back into the soil, which then yields flourishing and nutritious plants. Some wet products, however, will not promote healthy decomposition of nutrients and should be disposed of in other ways. 

DO Compost DON’T Compost
Fruits and Veggies (except citrus peels) Dairy Products
Eggshells and Nut Shells Eggs
Coffee Grounds and Filters Meat or Fish Bones or Scraps
Tea Bags and Wine Corks Magazines, Glossy Wrapping paper
Newspaper & Used Paper Towels/Plates Styrofoam
Yard/Grass Trimmings Trimming Treated with Chemical Fertilizers
100% Cotton and Wool Rags Diseased Plants
Dryer & Vacuum Cleaner Lint Pet Wastes
Hair and Fur Fat, Grease, Lards, Oils
Fireplace Ashes Coal or Charcoal Ashes

 

There are many different designs for composting systems, on scales ranging from single-family waste to community-level waste production. The most simple way to compost is with a standing pile. More complex but easily managed pile designs are:

The simplest steps for maintaining an active compost pile include gathering organic material, including wet waste and dry material such as sawdust, leaves, or hay, and turning or aerating the pile. Turning the pile ensures that oxygen reaches every part so the process of decomposition can happen. An active pile will generate a lot of heat in the middle of the pile, which is a good way to tell whether your compost design is working or not. For a complete guide to composting at the home and community level, see this report by the Highfields Center for Composting.

Community Initiatives

An effective way to combat the pervasiveness of dump sites in Armenia is to start with community-level recycling and composting programs. By collaborating with friends and neighbors to collect dry or wet waste, the whole community can reduce their impact on the environment and improve health. This could have the ability to sway local policymakers, or NGOs to realize that it is possible to make a difference in the consumption and waste production of your community. (add more to this?)

Waste Minimization

It is possible to avoid the problem of hundreds of dump sites in the first place by producing less waste. Re-evaluating the amount your family currently consumes and needs to consume is the first step. Second, materials you might consider to be trash have the potential to be repurposed and used again. Here are a few general tips to consider:

  • Buy used items, such as clothes or household wares
    • Donate items still in decent condition, that you might otherwise throw away
  • Borrow, rent, or share items among friends and neighbors, to save money buying and throwing away
  • Buy products that use less packaging
    • Buy reusable products rather than single-use disposable products
    • Buy in bulk
    • Bring your own reusable grocery bags
  • Maintain and repair your own products well, so as not to need replacing as often

Visit the community/entertainment page for fun ways to reuse household items for toys and games!

Resources

For interest in research and policy, legislation, infrastructure projects, and institutions related to waste management in Armenia, check out the American University of Armenia’s Acopian Center for the Environment.

Visit this article by the EVN Report to learn more about the problem of unregulated dumpsites in Armenia.

References

Landfill, Yerevan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/we-want-a-clean-city-why-yerevan-is-up-in-arms-about-waste-management/

Reducing and Reusing Basics. (2019, November 25). Retrieved April 27, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-and-reusing-basics

[Untitled graphics of composting units]. (2013). Retrieved from http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g2222/build/g2222.htm

[Untitled photograph of waste types]. (2020). Retrieved from https://galusaustralis.com/2020/02/488016/wet-waste-management-services-market-development-analysis-to-2026/