Eco-solution: Waste sorting boxes installed near every kindergarten and school in western Chernivtsi

Ukraine's western Chernivtsi presented waste sorting containers installed near every school and kindergarten.

Each institution has four containers of different colors to teach kids waste sorting management, ZAXID.NET reports.

What is the problem?

Every Ukrainian gets rid of 300 to 500 kilograms of garbage yearly. According to the State Statistics Service, the amount of waste generated yearly in Ukraine equals 350 million tons, while over 12 billion tons are accumulated in landfills.

Only 2.8% of all Ukrainian waste is recycled, while 94.1% ends up in landfills. Compared to Europe's recycling culture, this can be called a disaster.

What is the solution?

Ukraine's western city of Chernivtsi introduced separate waste collection in pre-school and secondary education institutions. Four containers have been installed near each school and kindergarten so that students and preschoolers can learn to sort waste. Funds for the purchase were allocated from the city budget.

How does it work?

Chernivtsi authorities reported the containers were installed in all secondary schools. The executive committee made the decision, as each institution now has four separate containers for plastic, glass, metal, and paper.

Teachers will teach schoolers how to sort waste in class. At the same time, street waste collection should also be organized on the grounds of schools and kindergartens.

This is the responsibility of enterprises that have a contract with the Department of Transport, said Iryna Tkachuk, head of the city's education department.

There are 45 municipal and four private schools and 50 kindergartens in Chernivtsi. These institutions have installed waste sorting containers using funds allocated from the city budget for the maintenance of the institutions.