EU invests in efficient and sustainable waste management in Bulgaria

The European Commission has approved an investment of over €77 million from the European Regional Development Fund to upgrade the integrated waste management system in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.
According to the Commission, the investment will support the construction of a high-efficient plant for the simultaneous production of heat and electricity, using fuel derived from unrecyclable municipal waste. Clean and advanced technology, the process also known as ‘co-generation’, will give the citizens of the Bulgarian capital better access to affordable energy while protecting the environment, the Commission said in a press release.
“Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, recover and dispose: this investment is in line with the EU’s Waste Framework Directive and it’s essential for a modern, efficient and sustainable waste management system in Sofia,” EU Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira said.
It is estimated that, when constructed, the plant will produce heat and electricity with a capacity of approximately 55 megawatts (MW) of heat and 19 MW of electricity, the Commission said, adding that this means heat for 40,000 people and electricity for 30,000 people.This project is the final part of a 3-phase waste management programme to reduce the environmental impact of waste, improve recycling and stimulate investment in waste management in Sofia. Bulgaria has received a total of €204 million from the European Regional Development Fund over two programming periods – 2007-2013 and 2014-2020.