Yerevan, Armenia
In Yerevan, the municipal solid waste collection and disposal service does not yet sort or treat waste. Wastewater and pollutants are discharged directly into rivers, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic is one of the main pollutants in the country’s rivers. Environmental pollution associated with plastic waste in Armenia is currently estimated at 5,000-6,000 tons annually, and it continues to grow.6
To address this problem at a local level, the Green Embassy Committee (GEC) of U.S. Embassy Yerevan initiated plastic recycling on campus. GEC negotiated with a local plastic recycler in Armenia, Eco-Engineering, to set up a plastic recycling program at the Embassy.
Thousands of tons of used PET plastic bottles are generated annually in Armenia
Image Source: United Nations Development Programme
Success of the U.S. Embassy Yerevan recycling program led the GEC to encourage Eco-Engineering, United Nations Development Programme, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to work together on a national pilot recycling collection program in local communities. The national program works with small-to-medium enterprises to organize, advertise, and implement a plastic collection system. The private plastic recycling company advises and assists them with purchasing equipment necessary to process the plastic for reuse in Armenia. These efforts have resulted in approximately 2.7 million kg (3,000 tons) of PET waste now being recycled each year.