Research Article
Epifantsev K and Nikulin A
Abstract
Waste recycling in Russia merely reaches 5% to 7% versus up to 60% of MSW in the EU, and over 90% of waste in Russia is delivered to waste landfills and unauthorised dumps so that waste accumulation is increasing. This environmental situation is a national priority. The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 5 January 2017 announces 2017 the Year of Ecology in Russia. Most environmental reforms stipulated by amendments to laws are enacted from 1 January 2017. These are primarily measures aimed at emissions and discharges control using best available technologies and breakthrough provisions of the Industrial and Consumer Waste law. The Clean Country, priority project of the Russian Government, will be implemented from 2017 to 2025 with the key aim of reducing the environmental footprint from municipal solid waste disposal and mitigating environmental risks of an accumulated environmental damage. The priority project involves the construction of five environment-friendly facilities for the thermal processing of municipal solid waste (waste incineration plants), four of them to be built in the Moscow Region and one facility to be built in the Republic of Tatarstan. An alternative to waste incineration is municipal waste recycling by moulding in extrusion machines to make pellets to be further used in the fuel or construction industries. The profitability of a waste recycling facility is dependent on a sound choice of extrusion equipment with the best value for money.