New landfills for waste collection will be built throughout Albania, as the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, approved the decision today.
This decision comes at a time when the Sharra landfill in Tirana is heading towards collapse and risks turning into an environmental emergency as there is no longer room for waste disposal. Also, problems have been reported in other lanterns, which have occasionally been engulfed in flames, causing air pollution.
It remains unclear how many new landfills will be built and in which areas. The decision of the Council of Ministers has also removed the fee for the reuse of construction aggregates.
VERDICT:
4. After point 21, points 21/1, 21/2, 21/3, 21/4, 21/5 and 21/6 are added, with the following content:
"21/1. AKEM asks the local self-government unit for information on the sites designated by it to be used as temporary storage sites and specifically on those that extend to state assets. In case the legal status of ownership of the assets is not clear, AKEM requests information from the State Cadastre Agency. After evaluating these sites, AKEM notifies the local self-government unit about those state assets, which it will administer as temporary storage sites.
21/2. The taking over of the assets by AKEM, as defined in point 21/1 of this decision, is carried out in one of the following ways:
a) Through the determination or change of the responsibility for the administration of state property in the AKEM, according to the provisions of the law no. 8743, dated 22.2.2001, "On State Real Estate", as amended, in the case when it is property not transferred to local self-government units; or
b) Through the agreement concluded between AKEM and its bodies (local self-government unit), with the object of using the property by AKEM for the purposes of this decision or according to the provisions of the law no. 8744, dated 22.2.2001, "On the transfer of public immovable property of the state to local government units", as amended, when the property has been transferred to the local self-government unit.
21/3. Temporary landfills are approved by decision of the National Council of Territory and Water.
21/4. AKEM and private operators, which in any case comply with the criteria of point 17 of this decision, request from the local self-government unit the approval of the relevant tariff, based on point 15 of this decision, without the need to approve amendments to the general local plan.
After the approval of the tariff, the AKEM or private operators apply to the National Council of Territory and Water for the approval of the necessary permits, according to the legislation in force for the planning and development of the territory.
21/5. Private operators, before obtaining the construction permit for temporary landfill from the National Council of Territory and Water, must deposit a financial/bank guarantee to cover the costs of construction, operation, closure and further care of the landfill after its closure, including the payment of the guarantee for the costs of its closure, subsequent interventions and rehabilitation of the environment, on behalf of the Local Self-Government Unit, which will not be less than 10% of the value of the structure of the facility and is determined by decision of the Municipal Council.
21/6. Në çdo rast, për lejet e lëshuara nga autoritetet e zhvillimit të territorit, subjekti zhvillues apo përfituesi i lejes së ndërtimit ka detyrimin të njoftojë përkatësisht sekretariatin teknik të Këshillit Kombëtar të Territorit dhe Ujit për lejet në kompetencë të tij, autoritetin vendor dhe, në të gjitha rastet, AKEM-in, nëse, pas marrjes së lejes së ndërtimit, mbetjet inerte do të ruhen në një venddepozitim tjetër të përkohshëm, të ndryshëm nga ai i përcaktuar gjatë procedurave të lejes së ndërtimit, sipas përcaktimeve të pikës 8 të këtij vendimi.”.