Armenia

Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE)

Standing, from left to right: Heghine Shashikyan (Financial manager), Laura Khachatryan (Translator, Expert of project on editing and translating materials), Elena Manvelyan (MD, PHD, Epidemiologist, President of AWHHE, project manager), Gohar Khojayan, (Communication specialist on chemicals issues), Emma Anakhasyan (MD, Head of Environmental Health Department), Knarik Grigoryan (MD, Environmental Health Expert). Sitting, from left to right (name, role in project): Hripsime Jangiryan (Social Media Expert), Ashot Atinyan (Logistics assistant of project)

– Meet the Team –

Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE)

Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE) was founded in 1999 as a non-governmental non-profit organization (NGO). During its 25 years of operation, AWHHE has successfully implemented about 170 projects. AWHHE’s mission is to explore the issue of environmental pollution in Armenia, advocate for the human right to live in a healthy environment, promote risk reduction from environmentally harmful impacts, including climate change on human health, promote healthy lifestyle focusing on women as catalysts of change, and children.

Contact:

24/2, Baghramyan Ave.,
Yerevan 0019, Armenia
tel.: (+374 10) 523604
e-mail: officeawhhe@awhhe.am

Website: http://amhhe.am

About the Project

Since its establishment in 1999, the NGO Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE) has implemented dozens of successful projects related to chemicals and waste, including plastics and has many years of experience in the Basel Convention and their implementation on the national level.

The aim of current project “Addressing the escalating plastic crisis in five countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA)” is to enable the Republic of Armenia and other EECCA countries to lay the foundation for coordinated actions to address the problem of plastic pollution, minimize plastic waste generation, eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic, raise awareness of toxic plastic additives and available safe alternatives, and promote the development of an efficient non-toxic closed-loop economy. In Armenia, the project is being implemented in close cooperation with HEJSupport – an international organisation coording project implementation and the Basel Convention national coordinator to ensure information sharing and capacity building of government officials, businesses and the public to successfully address the problem of plastic pollution.

In order to fulfill the project objectives, AWHHE plans to raise awareness of stakeholders on sound plastic waste management, promotion of plastic waste reduction, recycling and reuse opportunities. Information will be gathered through stakeholder, business and community surveys. Available data on plastic production, use, circulation from various sources including government agencies, universities, NGOs, etc. will be analyzed. These data will be made available through project website, media outlets and NGO networks in Armenia and the region.



Video Gallery

Video and audio materials illustrating project implementation in Armenia

Kristine Ter-Matevosyan, journalist at the Ecolur Environmental Information Center

Our organization deals with environmental issues, and in the course of my work I am becoming more aware of the problems our country faces in this area. I would like to emphasize the problem of plastic pollution, which is a big problem not only for our country, but also on a global scale. I believe that every citizen, at the very least, can contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution by participating in waste sorting. Following this principle, I sort plastic both at home and at my workplace and then dispose of it in special containers that are installed in different districts of Yerevan. These containers are regularly emptied and the waste is sent for recycling. In this way, I try to contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet.

Artur Chobanyan, Marketing Director at Vega World LLC

Vega has been operating for 23 years and is one of the largest importers of electronics and household appliances, which ultimately contribute to waste that contains a wide variety of plastics. We now sort these plastics. We have reached a stage where we can collect household appliances, disassemble them, sort their components, and separate metals from plastics and glass. Metal processing in Armenia faces no significant issues; whether it involves copper, aluminum, or ferrous metals, these can be transferred to the appropriate organizations. However, we encounter serious challenges with plastics due to the approximately 15 different types of plastic found in disassembled household appliances, and some of these plastics cannot be recycled in Armenia. We have contacted various recyclers and even attempted to offer these materials for free, including covering transportation costs, but they have stated that they do not work with such plastics. Our equipment is also not designed for these plastics. We recognize that our only option is to accumulate it under safe conditions and store it until its quantity reaches a critical level, at which point it will be viable to either import equipment or export the plastics to other countries that possess the capability to process them.

Harutyun Alpetyan, Program Manager, Waste Management Specialist, Lecturer at the Acopyan Center for Environmental Protection, American University of Armenia

Q: Will residents collect waste separately and what can contribute to this process?

A: Some concerns exist because people often expect to be rewarded or compensated for their efforts. For example, when we say, “Don’t throw away garbage; it’s a valuable resource!” people may think, “If it’s a resource, why don’t I get paid for taking it away?” This creates a situation where you must motivate people financially or provide other incentives to prevent pollution. However, separate waste collection should become a standard behaviour and part of our daily lives. To achieve this goal, approximately 80% of success will likely depend on the level of public participation and how we approach fostering environmental responsibility.

Gohar Mnatsakanyan, Sevan NGO Youth Club

As a youth organization, we should be involved in sorting and collecting waste. In recent years, this initiative has become strategically important for us because we are a team that loves our region, Lake Sevan, and everything related to its health and the surrounding area. Based on this, we have taken responsibility for changing the culture directly, rather than just focusing on waste management. We already have a separate box in our office for paper waste, which we periodically bring to the municipal containers. We also have separate bags for plastic bottles, and recently, we began collecting caps separately. Thus, we sort three types of waste. This encourages all the young people who come to the organization to separate plastic waste, which fosters a habit and provides them with an opportunity to learn about proper waste management. I am confident that these young people, teenagers, will adopt the culture of separate waste collection in their lives.

Hripsime Kocharyan, Director of Eco Payusak Company (Eco Bag/Pack)

I represent Eco Payusak. The production of our bags is a social enterprise; they are sewn by mothers of children with health issues. We have both an environmental and social impact. Why did we start making eco-bags? Studies indicate that plastic bags have become a disaster for our planet, and it’s essential to move forward in a more conscious and balanced way. Every second, 160,000 plastic bags are used around the globe. Yet, not a single plastic bag has decomposed. Various studies show that plastic takes hundreds of years to degrade in nature. Plastic poses hazards because it is made from oil, gas, and other chemical compounds, which creates significant health and environmental risks.

Silva Ayvazyan, Coordinator of Yerevan “Aarhus” Center

Plastic products are widely used every day, but I choose not to use them. They harm health, nature, and the environment because they rarely decompose. In some cases, decomposition can take thousands of years, depending on the type of plastic, but on average, it takes hundreds of years. Furthermore, plastic contains harmful substances. For instance, when using plastic for hot foods or beverages, the heated plastic releases harmful particles that enter our bodies. These particles are eliminated very slowly and can remain in tissues, leading to various diseases. They can affect the nervous system and may also be carcinogenic. Burning plastic is extremely harmful and is categorically forbidden, as it releases dioxin—a carcinogenic substance. Therefore, incinerating plastic is not allowed. Alternatives to plastic include paper cups, though this option is also undesirable since trees are cut down to produce paper, causing harm to the environment. Instead, we should choose materials that decompose quickly in nature. New technologies allow for the production of utensils made from natural materials like potato peels. Fabric bags are another alternative to plastic bags. They are reusable, especially if made from durable fabric that can last for years.


Photo Gallery

Stakeholder engagement in the project in Armenia

Elena Manvelyan, Head of AWHHE, discusses issues related to plastic pollution with Meri Harutyunyan, National Coordinator of the Plastic Treaty Negotiation and Senior Specialist in the Strategic Policy Department of the Ministry of Environment Protection of the Republic of Armenia. Also taking part in the discussion are Takuhi Shahinian and Shoghik Marabyan, both Senior Specialists in the Department of Hazardous Substances and Waste Policy from the same ministry.Ms. Harutyunyan noted that some analysis of the plastic situation in Armenia had been conducted, specifically concerning the legislative framework related to single-use plastics and their waste. The gradual reduction and eventual prohibition of single-use plastic products were prioritized. In the initial stage of this process, plastic bags were identified as the target product group. According to information from the INC national coordinator on plastic, Armenia identifies the following priorities for its work within the international negotiation process: addressing problematic plastic products, handling chemicals, focusing on design and recycling aspects, as well as the financing of the instrument.

AWHHE staff member Knarik Grigoryan speaks with Armine Tukhikyan, Program Director of the Urban Foundation, about plastic pollution. The Urban Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Armenia that aims to promote the sustainable and harmonious development of Armenian communities. Ms. Tukhikyan discussed their organization’s cooperation with local authorities in various communities across Armenia. She presented the project for sorting plastic bottles in the Alaverdi community of Lori marz, initiated in 2008, emphasizing that their organization started waste sorting in Armenia with this project. Subsequently, this initiative expanded to cover approximately 20-30 communities. Raising awareness, training, and providing necessary infrastructure were among the components of these efforts. Ms. Tukhikyan also spoke about one of their ongoing projects, in which infrastructure for separate plastic waste collection has been established in the town of Kapan in the Syunik region. Six types of construction materials are produced from the plastic waste. This initiative has created 35 permanent jobs and trained 60 individuals. In this context, Ms. Tukhikyan emphasized the importance of sorting plastic at the source as a crucial aspect of the educational process.

Elena Manvelyan, Head of AWHHE, discusses issues of plastic waste managemet with Artak Khachatryan, National Coordinator of the Basel Convention and Head of the Chemicals and Waste Service at the State Non-Profit Organization (SNCO) “Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center” under the Ministry of Environment Protection of the Republic of Armenia.

Nelly Baghdasaryan, Head of the Industrial Department at the Statistical Committee of the National Statistical Service of Armenia, presents data on plastics to AWHHE expert Knarik Grigoryan.

Representatives from Armenian ministries and agencies, as well as NGOs participating in one of the seminars within the project, complete the questionnaire at the Aarhus Center in Yerevan.

Women farmers participating in a project workshop are filling out a questionnaire in Shenavan village, Lori province.

AWHHE staff member Knarik Grigoryan speaks with Harutyun Alpetyan, Program Manager, Waste Management Specialist, Lecturer at the Acopyan Center for Environmental Protection, American University of Armenia. They discuss the preparation of the law on extended producer responsibility in Armenia, which has been reviewed with producers and NGOs, including AWHHE. Fifteen bylaws have been developed. At the time of writing this report, the third public hearing of the EPR law is in progress.

According to Vahan Gharibyan, President of the Recyclers Union and General Director of AM-ESKA plastic recycling company: “All companies involved in waste management—specifically, those engaged in recycling, transportation, disposal, design, or those with initiatives for implementing on-site recycling processes—are eligible to join the Recyclers Union. The Armenian National Waste Act includes a provision that offers tax benefits in the form of reduced income tax, serving as an incentive for investment. The introduction of Extended Producer Responsibilities will further foster the industry’s growth.”

Luiza Kavalyan, a student at Armenian-Russian University and a volunteer with AWHHE, believes plastic waste is dangerous if not handled properly. Plastic products and waste are very difficult to decompose, harming our planet. “I often use plastic products, especially when I leave town, but I always dispose of them in the designated waste containers throughout Armenia. I believe we should all act in ways that do not harm our planet.”

A startup plastic waste recycling plant is set to produce brick curbs and street tiles in Kapan (Syunik marz). The process of supplying the plant with sufficient plastic waste establishes the sorting and collection infrastructure along the route from Yeghegnadzor to Meghri, encompassing nine communities in Vayots Dzor and Syunik marzes.

At the startup plant in Kapan, plastic waste is sorted and prepared for recycling and reuse in the construction industry.

In March 2021, over 400 containers for collecting recyclable materials were installed at 135 locations in Yerevan. Yellow containers are designated for paper, gray ones for glass, and blue ones for plastic. At present, the Yerevan Municipality continues to install these containers as part of its programs.

Separate collection of plastic bottles from residents at the production site in Sevan City.

Secondary sorting of plastic waste at the production site in Sevan city

Some large malls in Yerevan, where there are food outlets (cafes, restaurants), introduce alternatives to plastic goods – paper cups, glass and ceramic dishes.

Cafes and restaurants in Armenia promote initiatives to replace plastic disposable goods with reusable non-plastic alternatives (such as textile tableware and wooden napkin holders).

Examples of labeling plastic products and packaging in Armenia