The Republic of Armenia has undertaken to modernize the waste management sector within the framework of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. According to the agreement, by 2024, an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system should be implemented in Armenia.
With the support of the "Waste Policy Armenia" project funded by Sweden and implemented by Acopian Center for the Environment of the American University of Armenia (AUA), the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) has launched the establishment of a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), which will coordinate the sustainable management of packaging waste generated in the country. A pilot program is being implemented within the framework of the establishment of the PRO, which will greatly support the development of the PRO legislation.
At the proposal of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, the pilot program will be implemented in Hrazdan Community, Kotayk Region.
AmCham Sustainable Growth Committee reached an agreement with the EU Delegation to Armenia, within the framework of which the international expert will provide support to the founding member-organizations of the pilot program during the implementation of the pilot program.
Ara Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Environment, Vache Terteryan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, Harutyun Alpetyan, Head of the "Waste Policy Armenia" project of the Acopian Center for the Environment of the AUA, Elina Markaryan President, Chair of FMCG Committee at AmCham in Armenia, representatives of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Kyriakos Parpounas, Managing Director of Parpounas Sustainability Consultants, Pilot Program Advisor, Sustainability Leader of Grant Thornton Cyprus, representatives of interested departments attended the launch event of the pilot program.
Deputy Minister Ara Mkrtchyan gave a speech of welcome.
"Taking into account that the establishment of the system will be a completely new mechanism for our country, the implementation of the pilot program will enable to highlight the institutional gaps within the selected community and record the main problems, integrating the results obtained in parallel into the legal projects being developed, avoiding certain complications at the law enforcement stage. I want to reaffirm that the Ministry of Environment is ready to cooperate within the framework of the pilot program and to unite all interested parties in order to achieve the best result," noted Ara Mkrtchyan.
The “Packaging Waste Management Pilot Program” is financed by "Coca-Cola HBC Armenia" CJSC, "Yerevan Brandy Factory" CJSC, Jermuk International Pepsi-Cola Bottler" LLC.