CEO of Lake Baikal Foundation, Anastasia Tsvetkova, addressed to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, as a part of the Forum of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives «Strong Ideas for a New Time». She suggested development of the sustainable waste management systems in the specially protected national areas (SPNAs), including the nature reserves and national parks.
It is crucial to provide an integrated decision of the problem of the ecologically safewaste management inthe specially protected national areas in order to preserve ecosystems and development of ecotourism in Russia.
Lake Baikal Foundation suggested to introduce the following legislative measures:
- creation of the special programme of the subsidies for federal and regional specially protected national areas for development of the waste management system, in particular organization of accumulation, solid waste collection (including separated collection) with further removal of wastes for utilization and recycling, infrastructure for utilization of liquid household wastes in sanitary zones.
- development of the programme for the implementation of the ecological standards, including measures of reduction on the use of single-use and difficult to recycle goods, packages and wrapping materials in the specially protected national areas; implementation of the ecological criteria for the procurement by the commercial subjects with a priority for goods with the reduced content of the hazardous substances, long-term period of use, etc.
- inclusion of the specially protected national areas into the programmes of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as its subjects with legislative recognition of their status from EPR association.
In his response, the President pointed out the importance of the infrastructure inthe specially protected national areas in order to achieve the balance between interest for natural heritage of our country and preservation of the unique treasures. Economic part stays important as well. It is necessary to makethe removalof the mixed solid waste and recyclables from remote natural areas beneficial for regional operators.
Lake Baikal Foundation intends to continue its work for achieving sustainable development of the natural areas.