French School of Caucasus Starts Waste Separation

On February 23, a waste separation corner was opened at the French School of Caucasus. From this point forward, schoolchildren, parents, and school staff will have the opportunity to bring and separate their waste (paper, glass, PET plastic, and aluminium). Waste collection and transportation will be provided by Clean World Ltd., who will deliver the waste to recycling companies.

Veronica Lee, USAID’s Economic Growth Office Director; Mathieu Gorau, the Director of the primary school at the French School of Caucasus; Nana Janashia, CENN’s Executive Director; and Rute Vicente, Head of the Association of Students' Parents, attended and gave speeches at the opening of the separation corner. Jean-Yves Lavoir, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs of the Embassy of France, also participated in the event. Both the hosts and the guests at the event stressed the importance of waste separation and involving youth in the process.

Areas in Vake Park were cleaned up by the school’s students and staff, followed by a waste separation tutorial where students had the opportunity to separate waste on their own. The event concluded with fun educational games focused on waste separation.

The waste separation corner was opened under the auspices of the ongoing USAID-funded project, Waste Management Technology in Regions, Phase II (WMTR II), implemented by CENN. The program assists the Government of Georgia in modernizing the waste management sector in the country and by supporting sustainable and inclusive economic development. This initiative has made it possible to separate and dispose of waste at eight locations in Tbilisi to date. To view the recycling corner locations, please open the following map: Waste separation corners (https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1uwGAAP7G8AC0hri4fyp5fGeC8Q8&ll=41.68188881708563%2C44.87489638554689&z=11).

The responsibility to separate waste is determined by the EU Association Agreement and, based on the Waste Management Code of Georgia, is to be implemented in all municipalities from 2019.