Moldovan central – western city sets electric wastes selection campaign

Chisinau, 16 May /MOLDPRES/ – The slogan of a campaign unfolded during spring in Ungheni city is: Collected electric wastes – protected human lives!

The campaign goal is to inform and raise awareness among citizens of Ungheni about importance of selective collection of electrical and electronic equipment waste. "The action programme includes meetings with representatives of local kindergartens, high schools and colleges. Together with the City Hall representatives, groups of young volunteers discuss with pupils about significance of selective waste collection. The young people explain in a language that is clear to youth which electrical wastes are, why it is not good to keep this waste in dwellings, what the danger is of electrical waste for environment and people's health, how we can easily get rid of such wastes, explained mayor of Ungheni, Alexandru Ambros, interviewed by agency.

According to cited source, informing and educating young generation is an indispensable pillar in ensuring responsible civic behaviour. "It is important for pupils in schools, high schools, colleges and kindergarten children to understand campaign message and share it on with friends, parents, grandparents. The children are also in a practical exercise. This is a competition for collection of electrical wastes encouraged by pupils of the educational institutions in Ungheni. The institutions that will collect largest amount of electrical and electronic wastes will be awarded," said Alexandru Ambros.

The process of collecting and transporting electrical wastes is ensured by specialised municipal enterprise "AVE – Ungheni", which approved a schedule on it, brought to attention of local people. The collection point is equipped with containers for of small electrical and electronic wastes storage and for disposal of large scale wastes.

"These ones will be delivered to specialised recyclers from abroad, as there are no companies, electric waste recycling plants in our country. However, at present collection and storage of electrical and electronic wastes is a challenge for most Moldovan localities. In 2017, Ungheni made first steps in collecting these types of wastes, being first locality in the country to implement a pilot project for selective collection of electrical and electronic equipment wastes. It is a unique experience that allowing to access new funds for environmental projects," said mayor of Ungheni, Alexandru Ambros.

The electrical or electronic equipment that can no longer be used is considered as waste. These are of several types: large electrical equipment (refrigerators, washing machines, monitors, televisions, etc.), small electrical equipment (bulbs, accumulators, used batteries, telephones, electric boilers, etc.), toys, sports equipment, etc. These wastes contain particularly dangerous substances such as mercury, lead, chromium, bromine and halogen substances. If thrown at random, they reach water, soil, air, with serious consequences for people's health.

(Reporter L. Grubii, editor M. Jantovan)