Tbilisi City Hall will implement a new waste management strategy to reduce landfill use and introduce recycling across the city. The five-year action plan, developed with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and German firm ICP, will soon be submitted to the City Council.
“This isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a step toward a cleaner, safer, and greener Tbilisi. What we throw away today shouldn’t become a burden for tomorrow, it should be transformed into a resource.” said Mayor Kakha Kaladze. “In the coming years, we will introduce separate waste collection, recycling infrastructure and two- and three-bin systems for households,” he added.
Currently, nearly all of Tbilisi’s 411,000 tons of annual waste ends up in landfills, including biodegradable materials that pose environmental and health risks. The new plan includes landfill gas collection, leachate treatment and sorting facilities.
Kaladze acknowledged that while the strategy was completed in 2022, it was delayed due to a lack of local expertise. International partners will now supervise implementation and a private company has already been selected through a tender.
City Hall also plans a public campaign to promote recycling and environmental awareness. New landfill sites are being reviewed and the sale of recyclables is expected to generate revenue and create jobs.
