On July 31, 2019, a master class on «Waste management in specially protected natural areas» was held in Zabaikalsky national park within the framework of the project «Trash Free National Parks». The event was attended by representatives of the Lake Baikal Foundation, international experts in the field of sustainable waste management (from Austria and Switzerland), specialists and students of East Siberian State University of Technology and Management (Republic of Buryatia), employees and administration of Zabaikalsky national park, representatives of the tourism business of Ust-Barguzin.
In their reports, the speakers touched upon the problems and prospects of the sphere of treatment of solid municipal waste in the Republic of Buryatia, the experience of separate collection on Olkhon island, the topic of collection and removal of waste, including recyclables. The key speaker of the master class was Elena Komarova, waste management international specialist (Austria), who spoke in detail about the European experience of handling solid municipal waste in national parks.
The participants discussed what opportunities and resources Zabaikalsky national park, entrepreneurs from the tourism sector and visitors to the natural area have for the development of a responsible and sustainable waste management system.
On August 1, 2019, the study of morphology, logistics and dynamics of waste generation in the territory of Zabaikalsky national park was launched. Scientists will study the most anthropogenically loaded and ecologically significant points, determine the morphological composition, the volume of waste generation during the peak tourist season and get other important data that can be used to optimize the waste management system in the national center park. In the preliminary conclusions of experts it is reported that mixed waste in the natural area by 30%-65% consists of recyclable fractions, which must be collected separately from other waste. The research team includes international expert Olga Ulanova, specialists of the Department of ecology, subsoil use and life safety of East Siberian State University of Technology and Management, as well as students of specialized areas of Russian universities.