Solid waste management in transition

Abstract

While constructing market economies on the ruins of the central planning systems from the
eastern part of Germany to the Pacific coast of Russia, many countries have faced a number of
similar problems in the field of the solid waste management. But in the so called 'economies
in transition' these problems were treated in different ways,
The group of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe on their way to the EU membership
adopted the European principles of the SWM. They were to find an adequate solution to the
essential waste problems earlier and in the very limited time period, On the other hand, the
countries that now belong to the CIS, had somewhat put the problems of the SWM aside,
therefore the process is in the most cases yet in its primary stage still. On their way to the
effective SWM, these countries often orient towards the European model as well, though
having more freedom in adapting it to the national circumstances.
The objective of the paper presented is to analyze the common problems of the countries in
transition, evaluate the effectiveness of the European shaped solutions for the EU new
member states and highlight the positive and negative points to be aware of when reforming
SWM in the CIS countries.