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MINSK, 8 December (BelTA) - The Italian company COOMI plans to build a municipal solid waste treatment facility in Orsha, BelTA learnt from the waste treatment department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Documents on the intent to implement the project were signed by the Italian COOMI, Orsha Town Hall and Spetsavtobaza company (Orsha). Investment in the new plant is estimated at ?90 million. It is expected that the Italian company will build the plant on the turnkey basis. The facility will annually process about 70,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste. This is almost the entire amount of municipal waste generated in the town. The Italian investors are prepared to help the town authorities to involve as much as possible secondary material resources in the production of energy. “Partnership with the Italian company will help the town develop up-to-date technologies in domestic waste treatment,” environmentalists said. In case the project is successful, the Italian company might consider further expansion of cooperation with Belarus and may implement similar projects in other Belarusian cities. Among the major advantages of thermo-treatment and recycling of municipal solid waste are its multifold reduction in volume, lower contamination of soil and water, and an opportunity for heat recovery. In line with Belarus’ environment concept, 80% of total municipal waste should be processed by 2025. Domestic waste treatment should reach at least 70% by 2015. The construction of new waste treatment facilities in Minsk, oblast centers and Belarusian cities with the population over 100,000 will help achieve the target. The strategy also provides for active utilization of waste as a secondary raw material.

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