Sofia's New Integrated Municipal Waste Management System Completed

The construction of Sofia's new integrated municipal waste management system has been completed and all of the equipment has been installed.

The waste treatment facility was built with EU funding provided under operational program Environment 2007-2013, according to a media statement of the Sofia Municipality.

The facility, located in the village of Yana, will process all of Sofia's municipal waste except separately collected waste and bio-waste.

The facility is to undergo a 72-hour testing period and to be issued authorization for entry into service.

The waste management system will produce RDF (refuse-derived fuel) from the waste.

RDF may be used as fuel in cement kilns.

In June 2015, the Sofia Municipality announced a tender subdivided into three lots for the utilization of RDF, according to reports of investor.bg.

The estimated value of the contract is BGN 25.2 M, VAT excluded.

Three companies filed bids, including Devnya Cement, Holcim Bulgaria, and Zlatna Panega Cement.

A total of BGN 345 M had been earmarked for the construction of Sofia's new waste management system, most of it EU funding.

The Sofia Municipality launched feasibility studies for changing the waste management model in 2007 and applied for EU funding for the project in 2001.

The European Commission approved the two stages of the waste management system in 2011 and in 2012.