site.btaSwiss Programme to Assist with Safe Pesticide Disposal, Hazardous Household Waste Storage

Swiss Programme to Assist with Safe Pesticide Disposal, Hazardous Household Waste Storage


Sofia, January 20 (BTA) - The Bulgarian-Swiss Cooperation
Programme will finance projects for the safe disposal of
obsolete pesticides and the temporary storage of hazardous
household waste. This emerged at a news conference Monday at the
Council of Ministers.

Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds Tomislav Donchev said that
the full 76 million Swiss francs made available under the
programme have been contracted.

Environment Minister Ivelina Vassileva said that 32 million
Swiss francs, or half of the programme's funding will go towards
projects under the Environment and Infrastructure Axis. Two
projects, for the safe disposal of obsolete pesticides and
herbicides (worth over 23 million Swiss francs) and for the
temporary collection and storage of hazardous household waste
(worth over 8 million Swiss francs) have been approved.

Vassileva said that of the 323 pesticide storage facilities
across the country, in 288 are stored over 4,900 tonnes of
pesticides. The project will dispose of all pesticides, will
reduce the number of storage facilities and will prevent risks
to the environment and the population.

Swiss Ambassador here Denis Knobel said that this is not merely
an investment but an effective cooperation. "This is
Switzerland's contribution to Bulgaria's prosperity. Though
smaller compared to other EU aid, the Swiss aid can adapt to the
country's specific needs," he said.

Hugo Bruggmann, head of the Enlargement Contribution/Cohesion
Section with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, said
that the five-year cooperation programme ends in December and
that Switzerland wants to start the new period without delay. He
said that in the pipeline are projects for cooperation between
research institutes and the Bulgarian and Swiss Red Cross, for
the development of green public procurement and introduction of
dual education.

Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova said that another 28 tram cars
that were used in Basel will be delivered in the next two years
with the first batch expected in 2016.