USAID Plastic Recycling campaign expanded in City of Skopje |
USAID Plastic Recycling Project in partnersip with the City of Skopje and Public Utility Company “Komunalna Higiena” marked the kick off of the Municipal PET Collection Program. The goal of this event is to promote the campaign and the new pilot project “Green Schools”. The campaign is focused on promotion of plastic recycling and appropriate treatment of waste to preserve a clean environment. The “Green Schools component will be introduced in 30 primary schools. Employees from the Public Utility Company “Komunalna Higiena” and NGO’s will conduct educational classes. The first educational class on PET recycling will be delivered by students from the Primary School “Dimo Hadzi Dimov” from Skopje. “I believe that clean environment is one of the most important gifts we can give to our children. The role of the education system is highly important in this process. Education on environmental awareness, proper sanitary conditions, and monitoring the environmental health of school grounds is essential for achieving a positive, nurturing learning environment and a better quality of life“said Mr. Michael Fritz, the new Mission Director of USAID Macedonia. The Primary School “Petar Pop- Arsov” from Skopje received first prize for collecting the largest quantity of PET waste, 350 kg, during the school year 2007/2008. This school was one of 14, included in the pilot phase, implemented from November 2007 through June 2008. Mr. Trifun Kostovski, Mayor of Skopje, handed out the prize, a statue in shape of project’s mascot PET-MAN. Upon successful completion of its pilot phase, in June 2008, the project expanded its activites in 20 new municipalities, including the city of Skopje. In the new phase the project will focus on organizing community clean up activities, arranging public debates about waste management and plastic recycling, supporting partners in delivering educational classes and increasing participation of citizens, NGOs and local businesses in maintaining clean environment. The $1.2 million USAID Plastic Recycling Project is implemnted by Macedonian Business Resource Center- Trade and Investment Network (MDC-TI.Net) in partnership with 20 municipalities, as well as public or private waste management companies from each of these municipalities. The project has initiated plastic waste collection programs and Recycling Clubs in 14 primary schools, equipped 103 ecological Islands, and supported eight recycling companies with equipment purchase.
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