Sofia

Date and time of the PMC
21 January 2025 12-14.30 CET (13-15.30 Sofia Time)

Registration
Register on eventbrite clicking on this link

Link to videoconferencing room
Participants attending the event online will receive the link to the virtual room after completing the registration process on eventbrite (see above).

Challenge
Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria with 1.3 million inhabitants and in recent years has been implementing a large-scale integrated strategy for waste management developed upon the principles of sustainable development, circular economy and the accepted within the European Union waste management hierarchy.

Crucial for the success of the strategy is the motivation and active engagement of all stakeholders, especially households, in the process of its implementation.

In this respect a substantial educational effort is needed. In its core is making widely available extensive information on:

• what exactly sustainable waste management is;
• why reducing, reusing and recycling of our waste is so important and what are the benefits of separate waste collection to urban environment, circular economy and climate adaptation;
• how does the system work – how we all can become part of this process, what is the available infrastructure for different waste streams management in our particular neighbourhood and how we can use it;
• how we can contribute for improving the system functioning and report problems.

Thus to align with the strategic goals outlined in the Municipal Waste Management Program for 2021-2028 and effectively address urban environment, circular economy and climate change issues by minimising waste generation, encouraging reuse and recycling, a reliable and effective communication solution for information, motivation and engagement of households as a major stakeholder, has to be developed.

Additionally, two of the main key measures envisages in the Programme are:

1. Building a network of up to forty recycling centres for separate collection at source of different types of household waste, like packaging (plastic, cardboard and glass), textiles, e-waste, batteries, etc. The first 5 centers is foreseen to be operational in the beginning of 2025;
2. Upgrade of an existing online platform waste.sofia.bg, which gives extensive web-based information to the citizens on all waste management activities of the Municipality.

Expected characteristics of the solution(s) looked for:
The solution we are looking for has to provide two-way communication and information on all issues related to sustainable waste management and the circular economy within Sofia Municipality. To increase citizens’ awareness and involvement in waste management processes within Sofia Municipality—specifically in reducing waste volume, promoting proper waste separation and disposal, and supporting reuse and recycling processes—we have identified the need for a smart, innovative, 24/7 accessible digital solution. This solution will be piloted in at least the first 5 of the 40 recycling centers in the city.

Sofia’s objectives are:

1. Better understand waste management behavior of people living in the city;
2. Educate citizens about the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling waste and their relation to urban development and climate adaptation, fostering a culture of sustainability;
3. Inform citizens about all available options for managing the waste streams generated in their households;
4. Promote responsible consumer behaviour and creation of sustainable waste management habits;
5. Receive timely information about problems and malfunctions of the waste management system;
6. Enable a better informed decision-taking process by the municipal administration;
7. Reduce the cost of Sofia Municipality for communication and community engagement;
8. Decrease the volume of mixed household waste;
9. Increase the volume and the quality of the waste that is separately collected and thus recycled;
10. Contribute to the sustainable urban development of the city and improving the quality of life in it.