EcoLur
Not only Batumi resort area, but also the Black Sea suffers because of wrong management of household wastes. Batumi landfill site is located along the Tchorokh River, in a distance of 2 km from the coast of the Black Sea and around 3 km away from Batumi International Airport.
The landfill site is not fenced, and people and animals have free accessed to the area of the landfill site.
EcoLur together with the participants of “Green Academy” visited the landfill site. You can see 50-60 cows daily here.
Because of proximity to the Tchorokh River the garbage leaks to the river, then to the Black Sea during floods or heavy rains. “This landfill site is located in the wrong place: in 1994 works were commenced to bring them into order: a big wall was constructed between the landfill site and the Tchorokh river, but it didn’t help. Besides, the methane accumulated in the landfill site poses a threat to the local airport, as it bears essential risks for the landing of the airports,” said Manana Kochladze, Regional Coordinator for the Caucasus of CEE Bankwatch Network and Chairman of 'Green Alternative' Environmental Group, in her interview with EoLur.
“In 2000 a new scheme started to be developed for Batumi landfill site to make it far from the river: the new location was selected near the hotel
, but the locals boycotted. Now new area will be provided, for which the European Reconstruction and Development Bank has provided a loan of 5 million Euros, but it doesn’t take into consideration the neutralization mechanisms of the existing landfill site. That is, all the problems remain unsolved and no mechanism is proposed for their solution,” Manana Kochladze said.
Photos by Monica Yeritsyan, Yeva Harutunyan and Mariam Devidze
August 17, 2016 at 17:13