Some regions could sort Vilnius waste but ask who will pay

Several regions near Vilnius could help sort the capital’s waste amid an ongoing crisis, but they are demanding clarity on who will cover the costs, reports LRT.

The National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) is considering declaring a national emergency due to the unmanaged waste crisis in the Vilnius region, where a fire last year damaged part of the city’s mechanical-biological waste treatment plant (MBA), leaving it unable to operate at full capacity. The crisis has led to a halt in waste transport to the Kazokiškės landfill, and the Vilnius cogeneration plant is now accepting less sorted waste for incineration.

Regional waste management centres in Utena, Kaunas, and Marijampolė have indicated they have the capacity to sort waste from Vilnius and seven surrounding municipalities. However, they insist that the sorted waste must be collected by the requester and that they will not dispose of it in their own landfills.

Janis Laurinaitis, deputy director of the Alytus Regional Waste Management Centre (RATC), stated that while the centre could sort the waste, it lacks the legal authority to dispose of waste from another region. “We are a regional institution for our municipalities, and we must coordinate with our shareholders. We can help with sorting, but disposal is another matter,” he said. Laurinaitis added that the centre has the capacity to sort up to 65,000 tonnes of waste annually but currently uses only 30–40% of that capacity.

He emphasised that any additional sorting would require financial compensation, as it could involve hiring extra staff or running additional shifts. “If the government declares a state of emergency and takes financial responsibility, then we could proceed,” Laurinaitis said.

Irma Žiūkaitė, director of the Marijampolė RATC, confirmed that her centre could accept waste for sorting but not for landfill disposal. “We cannot dispose of waste in our landfill—we lack the permits, the legal right, and the space. Our last section is already full,” she said. She added that the plant was designed for larger capacities than currently utilised.

The Alytus RATC currently transports waste to cogeneration plants in Kaunas and Vilnius for incineration under existing contracts.