The Ministry of Environment has initiated a process of making legislative amendments in order to solve existing problems in the waste management sector, improve the waste management system, and ensure the continuous progress of legislative reforms. The RA Deputy Minister of Environment Ara Mkrtchyan said this during the regular sitting of the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Protection on September 24.
The package of draft laws on Making Amendments and Addenda to the law on Wastes and on Making Addendum to the RA Code on Administrative Offenses was debated.
A number of amendments have been initiated by the keynote rapporteur, which will make the waste management system more flexible and efficient. In particular, the law will be supplemented with the concepts of ‘landfill,’ ‘waste owner,’ and ‘waste accumulation’ for hazardous waste, and the principles of effective waste management will be enshrined.
The legislative initiative will enshrine the requirements for the use and licensing of hazardous waste activities and the main regulations of the process, clarify the powers of the Government and the authorized body. The proposed amendments will enshrine the legal basis for the adoption of normative legal acts regulating the sector, define the procedure for accounting for waste and the rules and requirements for its use, and clarify the processes of passporting, accounting, and submission of statistical reports for hazardous waste.
It was noted that by adopting the drafts it is expected that the exploitation of illegal landfills will be prevented, and landfill managers will be more consistent in the proper operation of landfills.
Ara Mkrtchyan answered the deputies’ questions, giving clarifications on proposing regulations and restrictions.
The draft law was endorsed.
September 25, 2025 at 12:00