Waste management: Study tour of researchers and entrepreneurs from Dominican Republic and Guatemala in Poland

The exchange of knowledge, experience and good practices in the field of waste management was the goal of the study tour of scientists and entrepreneurs from the Dominican Republic and Guatemala in Poland. Specialists from IETU demonstrated Polish organisational and technological solutions to Latin American guests during their visit at waste management facilities in Cracow, Katowice and Świętochłowice.

The study tour was organised as part of the CARE4WASTE project (Caribbean - European Union Research Alliance for Better Waste Management), the aim of which is to make the public aware of the necessity of using waste as valuable raw material and introduce good practices and effective waste management policy in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). IETU hosted scientists and entrepreneurs from the Dominican Republic and Guatemala from 11 to 13 April 2018.

Our aim is to create conditions which are favourable for recycling and recovery of materials from waste generated in urban areas in order to improve health conditions and environmental cleanliness, as well as to ensure economic development of Latin America and the Caribbean. During the three-day study tour we focused on demonstration of our organisational, logistic and technical solutions applied in municipal waste collection systems and management systems for waste processing and recycling infrastructure that could be transferred to these countries, says Marek Matejczyk, waste management expert at IETU.

The participants of the study tour got acquainted with the functioning of the waste recovery installation, green waste composting plant and the landfill in Cracow. In Katowice, they had a chance to see the operation of the Municipal Services Enterprise. They were particularly interested in sorting of municipal waste and biostabilisation. They also visited the INVESTEKO company in Świętochłowice, where they got familiar with the technology and installation for thermal treatment of waste with energy recovery.

Numerous questions asked by the visitors focused on technical and technological aspects, organisation of the installation work, investment financing and operation of the installation.

Guests emphasised that the study tour in Poland had met their expectations as they had obtained a lot of useful information and gained practical knowledge. Thanking for the opportunity to become acquainted with the solutions used in Poland, they expressed their satisfaction with the organisation of the stay, the optimum choice of facilities and the ease of communication during their visit.

Poland is a country where the implementation of Community solutions in the field of waste management is at such an advanced stage that it is easy for us to communicate with representatives of countries that only start introducing waste management systems and recovery of raw materials. Hence the ease of communication and understanding of the needs, adds Marek Matejczyk. 

The CARE4WASTE project is implemented by a consortium of research units from Germany, Poland (IETU), Panama, Dominican Republic and Guatemala, and coordinated by Fraunhofer Gesellschaft from Germany.

More information can be found on the project website - care4waste.net

The project is funded by the National Centre for Research and Development under the ERANet-LAC Programme.