Recycling can be complicated in a country like Ukraine, where there is almost no public infrastructure for it.
Thankfully, nongovernmental organizations are taking the lead to make recycling easier for households, at least in Kyiv.
It’s a commendable effort. In 2020, out of 10.7 million tons of waste, only 4.3% was recycled and 1.6% burned for energy in Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development. The remaining 10.1 million tons ended up at 6,000 landfills with a total area of almost 90 square kilometers, which is larger than the microstate of San Marino.
In Kyiv, the numbers are a little better: out of 2 million tons of its waste, 5.5% was recycled and 8.3% burned for energy in 2020. The remaining 1.7 million tons will poison land and groundwater at landfills for dozens or hundreds of years. In the long run, it will poison whole ecosystems.
Ukraine has a lot to learn from the European Union. In 2019, EU countries plus Switzerland, Norway and the U.K. recycled 48% of their waste, turned 27% into energy and sent 24% to landfills, according to Eurostat. The leader is Germany, where 67% of waste got recycled, 33% turned into energy and only 1% ended up in landfills.
Clearly, authorities on all levels have to transform how waste is managed in Ukraine. But consumers can push the government — not just by rallying, but by showing that they are ready to do their part by sorting waste and bringing it to recycling containers or the sparse but important recycling stations.
How to start
Forming a few habits is the hardest part. First, you have to get used to washing recyclables to remove food and liquid residues. A quick rinse is usually enough, after which you have to dry it. A small spot by the sink or elsewhere will be perfect for this.
But you will also need more space for at least three separate bins for organic waste, recyclable plastics and unrecyclable materials that can only be burned like plastic bags, some colored bottles and wrappers.
Four more smaller bins or boxes are preferable: for paper, glass, plastic caps and metal. The metal one can also be used to sort electronics, batteries and lightbulbs. Don’t forget to compress the waste to save space.
About 20 tons of used batteries collected by Batareiky zdavaitesia! in Ukraine departed for recycling from Kyiv to Romania on March 11, 2020. This nongovernmental organization has collection boxes in many businesses in Kyiv. (Oleg Petrasiuk)
Where to bring
Some lucky few have recycling containers right in their courtyards — installed by their housing cooperatives. Otherwise, you will have to search for containers and sorting stations closest to you, or order a pick-up.
Ecola is probably Ukraine’s most convenient recycling service because besides having a couple of sorting stations, it offers pick-up in Kyiv. It’s free on the weekends for recyclables. packed in transparent bags of at least 120 liters, while during workdays it costs Hr 129. For Hr 149, Ecola can also pick up unrecyclable plastics for burning. Orders are made through a Telegram messenger bot. Find out more at www.ecolaglobal.com.
No Waste Ukraine (Ukraina bez smittia) — Ukraine’s most comprehensive recycling non-profit — has a sorting station that accepts over 40 types of waste in Kyiv, including organic waste. It is located on the city’s outskirts, at 25 Saperno Slobidska St. in Holosiivskyi district, but it also offers paid pick-up service. Read more at www.nowaste.com.ua.
Kyivkomunservis municipal company has installed thousands of bell-shaped recycling containers for plastic, glass and paper in all of Kyiv districts in 2019. It also has over 130 special orange containers for dangerous waste, such as batteries, energy-saving lamps and mercury thermometers. Find their locations at www.kks.kiev.ua/dislokacii and www.kks.kiev.ua/nebezpechni-vidhodi.
Kyivmiskvtorresursy is one of the oldest recycling companies in Kyiv with several collection stations around Kyiv. They accept most plastics, paper, glass, aluminum cans, tires, some textile and other recyclables. A map with locations can be found at www.facebook.com/kgvr.com.ua.
Batareiky zdavaitesia is a nonprofit that collects electric batteries in boxes placed at hundreds of businesses around Kyiv and sends them for recycling to a plant in Romania. These boxes can be most commonly found at Silpo and Novus supermarkets, KLO and WOG gas stations, and Comfy, Jysk and Epicenter stores. See the map at www.batareiky.in.ua.
Plastic Club is a new recycling station. Besides plastics, it accepts paper, glass, metal and some waste for burning. It works only on the weekends from 11 a. m. to 6 p. m. at 3 Lypynskoho St. Find more info at www.instagram.com/plastic.club.
A few organizations also accept clothes in decent condition. These are Laska charity store (3 Lypynskoho St. and 15 Malopidvalna St., www. laskastore.com), Red Cross Ukraine (30 Pushkinska St., www.redcross.org.ua) and Kengurush for children’s clothing (15A Myru Ave., www.kengurush.org.ua).
Helpful services
Keeping tabs on what is recyclable and where it should be deposited can be confusing, especially in the beginning. But there are handy services that can bring clarity to recycling in Ukraine.
The Sortui app helps determine what is recyclable and how it should be utilized in a few easy steps. By default, it follows universal recycling guidelines for Ukraine, but can also be configured to the requirements of specific organizations. It also has an interactive map of recycling stations by Ecola, No Waste Ukraine, Kyivmiskvtorresursy and others. Sortui is available at App Store and Google Play.
Recycle Map is a website that maps out most recycling stations in Kyiv and Ukraine, including some private pop-up stations. The map is interactive, allowing users to filter locations by 24 types of recyclables accepted there. It also includes information on working hours and contacts. Browse at www.recyclemap.org
