Hazardous waste management in Kobelyaki city, Poltava region

Hazardous waste management in Kobelyaki city, Poltava region is an important issue of environmental safety. The region has a developed agro-industrial sector, which contributes to the formation of a significant amount of waste that may contain hazardous substances. The introduction of effective mechanisms for controlling their collection, storage and transportation will help reduce the negative impact on the environment.

Hazardous waste management includes their identification, collection, transportation and further processing. Kobelyaki has specialized collection points for batteries, mercury lamps and electronic equipment, but their number is insufficient to cover all the needs of the city. Some hazardous materials continue to end up in general waste, which creates a risk of environmental pollution.

Environmental maintenance of enterprises in the city is aimed at reducing the impact of industry on the environment. Kobelyaki has food, woodworking and agricultural enterprises that use chemical reagents and fuel and lubricants. In 2023, environmental services carried out 9 inspections, during which violations of industrial waste management standards were detected, which requires urgent changes in regulation.

Hazardous waste is stored in the city at specially equipped landfills. However, their throughput is limited, which creates additional environmental risks. The most critical is the accumulation of agrochemicals, industrial sludge and medical waste, which require special storage conditions. To reduce the threat, the city authorities plan to expand sites for the safe accumulation of toxic substances.

Transportation of hazardous waste is carried out by specialized carriers using equipment that meets environmental standards. In 2023, more than 22 tons of toxic substances were transported from Kobelyak for further processing. Compliance with transportation standards allows you to prevent the leakage of hazardous components and minimize risks to the environment during transportation.

Recycling of hazardous waste remains an important direction of the city's environmental policy. Due to the lack of specialized enterprises in Kobelyaki, most toxic substances are sent to other regions. In 2023, more than 17 tons of used batteries, accumulators, lubricants and chemical reagents were transferred for recycling. The authorities are considering attracting investment to create a local hazardous waste recycling plant.

The level of environmental awareness of the population regarding the handling of toxic substances remains low. Only 38% of Kobelyaki residents know about special collection points for hazardous materials. In 2023, 8 educational events were held to increase the environmental culture of the population. To improve the situation, it is necessary to expand the information campaign and establish additional hazardous waste collection points.

Local authorities are actively cooperating with environmental organizations and government agencies to improve the hazardous waste management system. In 2023, Kobelyaki received 1.4 million hryvnias for the development of infrastructure for the collection, transportation and recycling of toxic materials. It is planned to create mobile collection points and implement modern environmental monitoring technologies.

Preventing illegal handling of hazardous waste remains a priority. In 2023, 7 cases of illegal dumping of toxic materials in forest plantations and abandoned industrial areas were recorded. To combat this phenomenon, it is planned to install video surveillance cameras in environmentally sensitive areas and increase penalties for violators.

An integrated approach to hazardous waste management allows Kobelyaky to gradually improve the environmental situation. The introduction of modern methods of collecting, transporting, storing and processing toxic materials helps reduce the level of environmental pollution. However, to achieve long-term results, it is necessary to expand the environmental infrastructure, attract more investment and strengthen control over compliance with environmental standards.