Davit Songulashvili: “Our Goal Is for Georgia to Transition to a Modern Waste Management System”
Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili addressed guests at the opening of the Scrap medical waste treatment facility.
The new environmentally friendly facility will safely treat hazardous medical and infectious waste without incineration, supporting the development of a modern medical waste management system in Georgia and strengthening environmental standards.
“Waste management is a specialised and complex process that requires a systematic approach, modern infrastructure, and continuous monitoring. The ministry is implementing important measures to improve and develop the waste management system, including expanding infrastructure and establishing facilities for managing hazardous waste.
“Our goal is for Georgia to transition to a system in which waste is regarded as a resource, and waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and safe management form part of the development of a green and circular economy. Private-sector initiatives and investment are important in this process, supported by the stable and predictable environment created by the state,” said Davit Songulashvili.
Modern ECOSTERYL technology is being introduced for the first time in Georgia and the South Caucasus region. It is used for the safe treatment and subsequent management of medical and infectious waste. The project represents an important step towards modernising medical waste management and improving environmental practices.
ECOSTERYL technology treats waste using microwaves rather than incineration. The system runs entirely on electricity and produces dry, sterile, and safe material, reducing the risk of toxic emissions and enabling safer subsequent waste management.
The new facility will help modernise medical waste management, improve operational safety, and introduce modern environmental standards. Based on European and international practices, the project creates another opportunity to apply modern, environmentally safe waste management technologies in Georgia.
Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Solomon Pavliashvili and Mikheil Gogolidze, Director of the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia, also attended the opening ceremony.
