Elbasan Functional Waste Area: Feasibility study, ESIA, PIU WB21-ALB-ENV-01 (Western Balkans Investment Framework, Infrastructure Project Facility Technical Assistance 9 (IPF9))

Project details
Country: 
Albania
Beneficiary: 
National Agency of Sewerage Water Supply & Waste Infrastructure (AKUM)
Donor organisation: 
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Associated enterprises: 
CESTRA
COWI A/S
Danish Refugee Council
EGIS
intec - GOPA-International Energy Consultants
SOFRECOM
SYSTEMA
TRENECON
WYG International
Department: 
Water
Project volume: 
500,000 €
Currency: 
€
Value of services: 
444,543 €
Start of project: 
September, 2020
End of project: 
March, 2022
Project background: 

This project concerns the development of an integrated waste management system in 8 municipalities in the Elbasan Area (Elbasan, Belsh, Librazhd, Prrenjas, Rrogozhine, Cerrik, Peqin & Gramsh) that will improve the living conditions of around 500,000 citizens and resolve the significant environmental and operational problems related to waste generation and management. The integrated solid waste management (ISWM) system foreseen in the Elbasan Area will be implement through a public private partnership (PPP) agreement already signed in 2015. A waste incineration plant (processing capacity of around 51,100 tons/year & an electricity generation capacity of 2.9 MWh per year) as well as a new sanitary landfill have already been constructed in Elbasan, about 50 kilometres from Tirana. It is foreseen that all waste collected in the Waste Zone Elbasan will be delivered to the waste incineration plant. The Waste to Energy (WtE) Plant (operational since 2017, with a capacity of 120-140 t/day) is operated through a concession contract (2017- 2024). After 2024, this WtE plant will be handed over to the Municipalities for administration, therefore a joint company for managing this facility in Elbasan is in need to be created.

Currently, only the Municipalities Elbasan, Cerrik and Belsh since March 2019 send their waste to the existing waste incinerator. The Municipality of Rrogozhine, although belonging to Tirane Qark, will deliver the collected waste to the Elbasan Waste Incineration Plant because of the shorter distance to Elbasan than to Tirane. Nevertheless, there will be a need for a transfer station, which might be used together with Peqin Municipality. Following this argument, the National Sectorial Plan on Solid Waste Management (NSPSWM) (approved by Decision no. 1 of the National Territorial Council on 13.01.2020) forecasted the construction 4 ramp type transfer station in 4 different municipalities of the Region (librazhd, Prrenjas, Gramsh & Peqin) during the first phase of the plan 2018 -2022. Apart from Elbasan, Cerik and Belsh municipalities, all other municipalities are supposed to transport their waste to the WtEP of Elbasan through making a first stop in their ramp type transfer station. In the municipalities of Rrogozhinë and Peqin, municipal SWM plans are currently developed with the support of GIZ. One of the proposed measures is the implementation of separate collection activities and composting. Dry recyclables will separately be collected to a limited extend (assuming a collection rate of 5% of the overall collected waste amount). Separate collection of organic waste will generally not be considered in this waste zone (except for Rrogozhine). Further regional transfer stations are planned for the municipalities of Librazhd, Prrenjas, and Gramsh.

Service description: 

Inception phase

  • Project organisation & management
  • Stakeholders meetings& coordination
  • Kick-off workshop & stakeholder meetings
  • Data collection
  • Analysis of legal & policy framework
  • Review of existing SWM system in the project area:
  1. Assessment of current situation in solid waste system
  2. Assessment of existing administrational, institutional & organizational set-up
  3. Assessment & evaluation of existing financial situation
  • Definition of methodology for gathering different types & levels of input data
  • Inception report
  • Inception workshop & workshop report

Conceptual planning phase

  • Development of a concept for ISWM system:
  1. Definition of concept objectives
  2. Outline & discussion of technical conceptual options & alternative solutions
  3. Development of optimal operation concept
  4. Screening of alternative options
  5. Outline improvement measures for financial management system of operators
  6. Development of proposals for inter-municipal agreements
  7. Development of Green House Gas (GHGs) mitigation scenarios
  8. Selection & presentation of most advantageous, proven, cost-efficient & affordable solution
  • Selection of appropriate sites for planned facilities:
  1. Definition of site requirements, site identification & selection criteria
  2. Identification & delimitation of preliminary areas suitable for location of new waste facilities
  3. Comparative assessment of alternative sites in terms of technical, financial, environmental & availability aspects, & proposal of most suitable site
  • Project/conceptual planning workshop & workshop report

Feasibility phase

  • Project measures, including technical design:
  1. Investment measures
  2. Accompanying measures
  3. Assessment of risks for achievement of project objective & proposal of mitigation measures to minimize these risks
  4. Presentation of potential GHG mitigation effects & mitigation costs
  5. Presentation of links & interrelations of the project with parallel measures & activities financed by other donors and/or governmental institutions
  6. Verification of proposed project measures to represent the optimum solutions in view of technical, environmental, economic & social requirements
  • Estimation of project costs:
  1. Estimation of capital investment costs
  2. Estimation of operation & maintenance (O&M) costs
  • Implementation & operation concepts:
  1. Selection of the best options for implementation & management/operation
  2. Proposal for efficient set-up for implementation & management/operation of new ISWM system during lifetime of facilities
  • Financial & economic analysis:
  1. Economic & financial analysis
  2. Risk & sensitivity analysis
  • Project Implementation Plan (PIP):
  1. Project programme
  2. Procurement plan
  3. Financing plan
  • Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA):
  1. Strategic Environmental & Social Management Framework (ESMF)
  2. Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)
  3. ESIA study
  • Feasibility/final workshop & workshop report

Assistance in project management

  • Knowledge & skills transfer
  • Capacity building
  • Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)
  • Support PIU in conducting regular analyses:
  1. Analysis of implementation of work plan
  2. Adjustment proposals for activity plan
  3. Discussion of new plan of activities with PIU & KFW
  4. Completion of activity re-planning after discussion it with PIU, KFW & other stakeholders involved
  • Design & support beneficiary in implementation of communication & visibility plan
  • Ad-hoc assistance in project management
Objectives: 

General objective: Develop the environmental infrastructure in the waste sector for preserving, protecting and improving the quality of environment in 8 municipalities in the Elbasan Area in Albania, in line with the requirements of the national waste management legislation and relevant EU regulations and directives.

Specific objectives:

  • Prepare the technical documentation required (e.g. ISWM Concept, Feasibility Study (FS) and ESIA Study) for the most appropriate waste management and disposal systems in the Elbasan Area, in an environmentally sound, technically feasible, economically and financially viable, and socially acceptable manner.
  • Improve the quality of life for approx. 500,000 inhabitants;
  • Improve the hygienic and health conditions in the project area;
  • Increase the number of people served by the municipal waste collection and management services of adequate quality and at affordable tariffs;
  • Reduce the quantity of landfilled waste, in line with legislative requirements in the field of waste management and with the EU principles of waste hierarchy, in order to protect the population’s health, climate and the environment;
  • Increase the quantity of recycled and reused waste;
  • Mitigate the greenhouse gases resulting from improper management of municipal solid waste;
  • Set up efficient waste management structures;
  • Raise awareness among the inhabitants of the benefits resulting from the project, separate waste collection, home-composting and waste recycling;
  • Improve conditions for tourism and economic development in the Elbasan Area;
  • Strengthen the technical and managerial capacity of the key actors for the preparation of an internationally financed waste project.
Result: 

Results to be achieved

  • High-quality preparatory measures (e.g., measurements, site investigations, etc.) for the technical documentation of the solid waste investments, in order to ensure the coherence of objectives, targets and measures, and compliance with the applicable legislation in Albania, EU Waste Framework Directive and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan requirements and KFW rules/standards.
  • Well-prepared technical documentation (e.g. FS & ESIA Study) for an integrated solid waste management (ISWM) system in the Elbasan area, in line with the applicable legislation in Albania and EU / KfW requirements / standards.
  • Increased capacity of the main beneficiaries through guidance and facilitation of the transfer of know-how on project development and financing techniques.
  • Adequate communication and visibility measures of the Project implementation.
  • Enhanced collaboration between KFW and the project promoter, as well as other relevant stakeholders.
Currency: 
€