“CSO-Government dialogue: Towards policy reforms on reducing the use of plastic bags” project goal is to tackle the issue of uncontrolled and overwhelming usage of plastic (PE) shopping bags and pollution of the environment with plastic trash. There are almost no waste recycling practices in Armenia. The importance of reducing usage of PE bags is recognized by all stakeholders, however they have different, often conflicting interests in this issue. Fragmented activities that have been carried out previously have not proved effective and have not produced wanted result. Therefore it was decided to tackle the problem with a participatory and consistent approach with consideration of interests of all parties. The project will organize a series of policy dialogue events of various formats to achieve a consensus regarding how the problem should be solved, what recommendations should be made to the decision making bodies for advocating legal solutions for reducing plastic waste. The project started from November 1st 2018 and targeted 5 regions of Armenia and Yerevan and is implemented mainly by LDA Armenia and Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development
In December, 2018 three new experts on elaboration of strategy and policy on scaling up reduction of use of plastic, public education and behaviour change and measuring effectiveness in utilization of alternative packaging were recruited and contracted for a year to make study and analysis. During 2019 they provided internal and final reports to the project team, UNDP GEF/SGP and Ministry of Environment. Final reports were approved by the Ministry at the end of December 2019 that alongside with the revised activities would contribute to the MoE-led policy reforms towards the gradual phase out of the single-use plastic bags.
Activities carried out during the project in Talin:
Community meetings
Four community meetings-discussions took place with the immediate participation of the community leader, representatives of the Ministry of Environment (twice the first deputy minister Mrs.Irina Ghaplanyan was present), specialists of Urban foundation.
About 100-150 people participated in each of community meeting during which upcoming plans to turn Talin into a green city, some details referring to the draft law on the reduction of usage of plastic bags were presented. The participants agreed to have their contribution, raise awareness about the environmental damage of plastic bags, try to reduce the usage, but all expressed their concerns that as still no law is adopted that will define the final packaging price, a certain group of citizens will keep on going demanding plastic bags from the businesses.
Urban foundation.
In March-June 2019 open lessons on environmental issues were organized in two basic schools of Talin. During the organizational phase the project team addressed to the Educational Department of Aragatsotsn Regional Administration for the permission, and the lesson content was agreed with the Ministry of Environment.
The lessons aimed to present the importance of environment, pollution and human damages to the schoolchildren. The lessons were welcomed with enthusiasm by the schoolchildren that presented their disposal about the usage of plastic bags, and how it is possible to reduce. About 90 schoolchildren of 7-8th grades from two schools participated in the open lessons. After the lessons Urban foundation handled over environmental books to schools.
Painting initiative in Talin Arts school
In February-March 2019 an event was held with the students of Talin Arts school during which the initiative of “Green Talin”, project content, purpose was presented. The students of painting class was suggested to paint how they imagine “Green Talin”, as well to prepare the uppercase of the letter “G” and “T” performing in the style of Armenian miniature. Interesting solutions were suggested, but because of complexity none of them was selected as a logo of “Green Talin”.
Elaboration of publishing materials
In October-November 2019 to promote the visibility of the project, to raise awareness of the citizens on plastic bags about 1.600 leaflets were published, that were disseminated with the tote-bags, as well as two types of 60 posters were hung in different places of the city.
Sewing of tote-bags and dissemination event
As an alternative of plastic bags a sewing of 1696 tote-bags was ordered to a small LTD functioning in Talin city. The tote-bags dissemination event took place on 20th of November, 2019 in the park Burg Le Valance with the participation of Mrs. Irina Ghaplanyan, Deputy Minister of Environment, Mr, Sargis Aramyan, a mayor of Talin, Mr. Hovhannes Ghazarayan and Mrs. Svetlana Harutyunyan, UNDP GEF/SGP national coordinators, project team and Talin population. A cultural performance on behalf of Talin Arts schoolchildren was followed after the official part, and the rest of the day the dissemination of tote-bags kept on going in the park. The municipality took responsibility to disseminate the rest of tote-bags to the population in the following days from their premise. The event was organized in cooperation with local NGO “SEMANT” implementing a project on Clean Energy access in Talin.
