Ilsur Metshin: “No one will solve the problem of garbage for us”

(KZN.RU, April 5, Alsu Safina). Issues of recycling and disposal of garbage, as well as prospects for the construction of an incinerator at the border of the Zelenodolsky district and Kazan, were discussed today by the residents of Osinovo village, the micro-district Salavat Cupere, as well as the concerned citizens at the meeting with Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan. Following the results of the meeting, which lasted almost 2 hours, it was decided to create a working group of activists for further work on this issue. 20 people volunteered to join the group.

Opening the meeting, the Mayor of Kazan reminded that the problem of garbage collection, export, utilization, and processing was first mentioned in Kazan more than 10 years ago, and the capital of Tatarstan was one of the first in the country to pass this way. “But when we asked if we are satisfied with the work, I can answer: certainly not, although much has been done”, said the head of the city. So, a garbage transshipment station was built in Levchenko village, where sorting of garbage was introduced. This project was one of the first in Russia.

In addition, re-cultivation of Samosyrovskaya landfill is underway. The dump itself has not been operational since 2013.

For four years, garbage was sent to a landfill on Khimicheskaya Street. The first map of the polygon at Khimicheskaya Street with an area of 6 hectares is already filled and was closed last year. At present, all solid domestic waste from Kazan is transported to the Vostochny landfill, which began operating in March 2017 and uses modern technologies for waste disposal.

“The volume of garbage is colossal”, said I. Metshin. “For today, there are already 115 hectares of land around Kazan covered by official dumps. In 20 years, we will already need 200 hectares of land for dumping if we continue to grow”. Therefore, according to Ilsur Metshin, it is necessary to look for solutions.

The Mayor thanked all who came to the meeting, the initiative residents of the city. “I'm glad that the ecology of the city and tomorrow are important not just for us but also the concerned inhabitants. We walk this road for the first time with you”, he marked.

The Mayor of Kazan reminded that the capital of Tatarstan, along with the Moscow region, was included in the pilot project “Energy from waste”. The project involves the construction of one incineration plant on the territory of Kazan and four in the Moscow region. The investor of the project was RT-Invest, which plans to build a plant in the capital of the RT by 2022. “It is important that these 4 years would pass in the discussion, under our control”, said I. Metshin.

The head of the city noted that ecology is one of Kazan's priorities. He proposed to conduct an environmental assessment and make air measurements in Salavat Cupere and surrounding areas within a radius of 3-5 km and compare with the situation near the factories recently built by the same technology in Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria.

The issue of the construction of the incineration plant caused discussion among the assembled people who expressed their fears about the consequences of the appearance of such a plant and also expressed their proposals.

Albert Garapov, the chairman of the anti-nuclear society of Tatarstan, suggested recalling the practice of separate collection of garbage and create a recycling enterprise, taking into account new technologies. According to him, one of the ways to resolve the issue could also be the abandonment of polyethylene packaging.

Also there were proposals in the course of the discussion to tighten the punishment, up to the introduction of fines, for the inseparable collection of garbage and strengthening control over this issue.

Summarizing the discussion, I. Metshin said: “Let's choose options together and learn. My main desire is to find a solution to the garbage issue”.

“This is our first meeting, such meetings will be usual. Nobody will solve the problem of garbage for us. It is important to take the first step. Let's do it together”, said the Mayor.

At the end of the meeting, two dozen people expressed their desire to join the working group. They will meet with representatives of RT-Invest and will be able to ask exciting questions about the plant, technologies used, etc. on April 14, together with the city administration, representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the RT, and the Ministry of Construction, Architecture and Housing of the RT.

Denis Kalinkin, the head of the Kazan Executive Committee, Iskander Giniyatullin, the deputy chairman of the Executive Committee and the chairman of the Housing and Communal Services Committee, Sergey Mironov, the head of the Kirovsky and Moskovsky districts’ administration, also took part in the meeting.