TIRANA, Dec 1/ATA/ – Albania must accelerate the separation of waste at source to curb the volume ending up in landfills, Environment Minister Sofjan Jaupaj said on Monday during an inspection of Tirana’s Waste Processing Plant, where operations continue uninterrupted.
Jaupaj said recent investments were reshaping the site and nearby landscape, but warned that end-point infrastructure alone would not meet the country’s needs.
“The Environment Ministry is committed, through major programmes, to completing all required infrastructure nationwide,” he said. “But source separation remains a central challenge, and it must be implemented by local governments in their cities.”
He said environmental education programmes in schools and universities were helping build public awareness and support.
“These initiatives provide a strong basis for introducing source separation successfully. The aim is to increase the amount of recoverable waste that can be sold and reintegrated into the circular economy,” Jaupaj said.
The minister added that Albania must minimize the amount of waste deposited in landfills to extend their lifespan.
“Albania does not have the luxury of many landfills. But with separation and encapsulation processes, significant progress is being made,” he said.
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