Faidusas

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LITHUANIA

Faidusas S., JSC "Toksika", Vilnius, Lithuania

Current situation. Ministry of Environment is currently responsible for the policy in the Lithuanian hazardous waste management. Ministry of Economy, as the former policy formulator and current shareholder of almost all hazardous waste treatment companies, plays an important role in the overall hazardous waste management system. Municipalities in most cases are also shareholders of the mentioned companies.
The Ministry of Economy initiated the reorganisation all four hazardous waste regional transfer (storage) companies and established one national company JSC "Toksika" responsible for the consistent management of hazardous waste in Lithuania.
Since 1994, hazardous waste generation in Lithuania is fluctuating between 100 and 160 thousand tonne per year. According to experts' assessments, at present approximately 96 - 98% of hazardous waste is generated in the industries and 2 - 4 % by the households.
EU and ISPA/Cohesion fund. Since the start of restructuring of the political and economic systems in the countries in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989, the EU Commission has on behalf of the member states of the European Union provided support and assistance to the restructuring of the economies.
In order to advance this process further, the member states of the European Union have decided to further support the applicant countries by preparing them for accession. Part of this preparation will be implemented by the ISPA/Cohesion initiative (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre - Accession) managed by the EU Commission. The ISPA/Cohesion initiative covers the environment and transport sectors.
Lithuania is eligible country for support by the ISPA/Cohesion initiative. It is has developed a strategy, defining the priority objectives and the ways and means of realizing pre - accession objectives and has defined a national ISPA environment strategy. This strategy constitutes a framework for ISPA/Cohesion assistance to Lithuania. The program has focused on waste and wastewater programs and upon the upgrade of water quality and infrastructure.
Project "Hazardous Waste Management in Lithuania". The proposed ISPA/Cohesion - project consists of three main components, addressing the need for treatment/disposal of the hazardous waste, including waste generated in the past by tanneries operating close to the new facility site:
1) the construction of an incinerator for hazardous waste (HZW),
2) the construction of a landfill for non - combustible HZW,
3) the closure of the landfill for tannery waste.
In addition, a forth component, a package dealing with export of other hazardous substances generated in the past, to be treated abroad (within the EU) is currently being prepared, and will be later proposed for approval.
The estimated waste streams to be treated in the new hazardous waste management facility are shown in the table below:

*Waste type for incinerator*	Estimated annual volume, tonnes
Waste oils	3 700
Solvents, incl. halogenated solvents	50
Paints, inks, glues, adhesives	400
Combustible solids including halogenated materials	3 400
Off-specification medicines, chemical substances and health care waste	200
Combustible after pre-treatment	250
*Total* waste, combustible, HZW incinerator	8 000
*Waste type for landfill*
Reactive waste after pre-treatment	400
Waste containing heavy metals	2 000
Ashes and slag from HZW incineration and other processes	4 000
Contaminated soil and treated soil for intermediate cover	2 400
Miscellaneous mixed waste	200
Total landfill	9 000
Estimated total waste volume	17 000

The treatment facility will include an incinerator for organic hazardous waste and a landfill for hazardous waste. There will also be room for handling of contaminated soil as presently done. Some pre-treatments will be performed when needed. Effluents from the incinerator as well as leachate from the landfill will be treated at the site. Control of operations will be strict in order to guarantee that pollution and accidental spills are reduced to an absolute minimum.
Remediation of the presently used landfill for tannery waste is also included in the project. After remediation the organic tannery waste, "skinnings" will continue to be disposed at the landfill, while chromium sludge will be put in the new landfill for hazardous waste (after that excess water has been taken care of).
The overall objectives of the project are:
1. establishment of national hazardous waste management system ensuring protection of human health and the environment against harmful effects caused by the collection, transport, treatment, storage and tipping of waste;
2. establishment of technically, environmentally and economically feasible treatment and disposal facilities for hazardous waste.

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