Towards a climate neutral EU:
efficient allocation of EU funds

Narrative

Since 2014, a network of Ecoports, i.e. places where residents can leave municipal waste, including waste electrical and electronic equipment, batteries, accumulators, tires, furniture, free of charge, has been created in Szczecin. Currently, there are nine such points in the city, and the construction of the last two has been carried out with the support of EU funds under the project "Expansion of the network of Ecoports with equipment and improvement of the service system for residents of the Municipality of Szczecin." The expansion project for selective waste collection points uses environmentally friendly solutions that simultaneously reduce the cost of operating these facilities. Among other things, the new Ecoports have been equipped with photovoltaic installations with connection to the power grid, as well as systems for capturing and storing rainwater in underground tanks. In addition, an educational pathway presenting environmental issues such as recycling, RES, rainwater recovery and urban gardens was created at the newest Ekoport on Taczaka Street, which opened in January 2020. The newest selective waste collection point has also been enriched with a wood waste chipper and a public document shredder. It is also worth mentioning two initiatives carried out at the Ecoports. The point on Taczaka Street hosts "Books on the Move," a place where books collected from all Ecoports in Szczecin are collected. Any of the residents can come here and find something for themselves or leave books for others. And in the Ecoport on Arkońska Street there is a charitable "Spargal Gallery", which still receives working items discarded by residents. In the Gallery, residents can choose something for themselves in exchange for contributing the appropriate amount to the account of the charity of their choice. As stated on the website ekoporty.szczecin.pl - the total of all funds transferred in this way to Public Benefit Organizations amounts to PLN 278,930. According to the city's calculations, nearly 169 thousand people visited Szczecin's Ecoports in 2018, and by the end of November 2019 - 222 thousand. Residents were most likely to bring construction waste, tires and bulky waste to them. In total, 8,000 tons of waste were collected at the Ecoports in 2019.

Financial data

Phase I of the network expansion project (2016-2017) saw the construction of the Ecoport on Arkona Street. The investment cost PLN 5 475 114,44 (about EUR 1256509,49), of which PLN 2 665 646,43 (about EUR611751,60) came from EU funds. In the second stage, an Ecoport on Taczaka Street was built. The cost of its construction was PLN 7178675,85 (about EUR 1647467,72), including PLN 3219321,44 (about EUR 738817,06) from EU funds.

Recommendations

Ecoports in Szczecin is an example of a local initiative that responds to the main problems of waste management nationwide, namely low levels of selective collection of municipal waste and improper storage of hazardous waste. By creating places in cities where residents can give away waste free of charge, the chance of proper waste management and processing increases. It is worth noting that these places also play an educational role, increasing residents' awareness and encouraging pro-environmental attitudes, such as giving objects a second life.

Information sources

Other info

http://ekoporty.szczecin.pl/ https://zuk.szczecin.pl/