NEWSLETTER 4: SPRING 2026 |
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A summer of decisions and new opportunities: welcome to the fourth issue of the WM4U newsletter! Spring and summer 2026 were a period of intense activity for the WM4U programme. Communities began preparing their local waste management plans, the Swedish municipalities continued to transfer equipment and share practical experience, and at national level, important decisions were taken to bring Ukraine’s waste management system closer to European standards. In this issue, we report on the handover of equipment to communities, study visits, the development of cluster cooperation and the communities’ first steps in strategic planning. One of the key events was the approval of a new system of symbols and labels for waste sorting, developed with expert support from Avfall Sverige — an important tool for implementing uniform sorting rules across the country. We invite you to read about the main milestones of recent months💚 |
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TRAINING AND EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE |
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New opportunities for communities: four study visits to Ukrainian clusters have taken place Between April and July, WM4U organised four study visits involving Swedish partners to the pilot clusters in Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Lozova and Kremenchuk. The events were attended by representatives of local communities, regional administrations, relevant institutions, Swedish municipalities and programme experts. Participants on each visit worked on developing a cluster-based approach to household waste management, discussed mechanisms for inter-municipal cooperation and drew up joint action plans. An important part of the programme was the workshops, during which the communities identified priority areas for development and their first joint projects. |
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In June, representatives of the beneficiary communities, Ministry for development of communities and territories of Ukraine and Committee on Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine undertook a study visit to Sweden. During the trip, the participants discussed proposals for the introduction of a new pricing system for household waste management at local level. |
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A free online course on sustainable waste management has been launched The course was jointly developed by Avfall Sverige and UNDP. Through WM4U, it has now been translated into Ukrainian, making it accessible to a wider audience in Ukraine.
The course is aimed at decisionmakers representatives of local authorities, the business sector, civil society organisations and waste management professionals. The course covers key topics in modern waste management. |
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POLICIES AND SYSTEMIC CHANGES |
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Ukraine has adopted amendments to the Methodology for the Separate Collection of Household Waste based on the Nordic model The changes will make waste sorting easier for people and cheaper for local authorities: the updates involve the introduction of a system of symbols and signs to indicate different types of waste, as used by Sweden and other EU countries to regulate waste sorting. |
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| Penalties for waste management offences are to be tightened The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved two relevant draft laws. The WM4U programme was involved in drafting the amendments. |
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Eight communities in the WM4U pilot clusters have begun work on their local waste management plans. These include the communities of Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Kremenchuk, Lozova, Blyznykiv, Bukachiv, Kozelshchyna and Litin. The Local Waste Management Plan (LWMP) is a key strategic planning tool that sets out the development of the community’s waste management system for the coming decade. These documents will help to assess the current state of the sector, identify infrastructure needs and plan the necessary investments. |
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A Swedish refuse lorry — for Rohatyn The local authority has received a 2016 Scania refuse lorry from the Swedish municipality of Hässleholm. The new refuse lorry will help to collect waste more frequently from the community’s remote villages. |
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| Household waste bins have been handed over to the Tysmenytsia community Receiving these bins opens up opportunities to set up new waste collection points, introduce waste sorting, or extend waste collection to more remote areas of the community. |
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A Scania refuse lorry will improve waste collection services in the Zlatopil community “Our community has been working for many years to modernise waste management. Therefore, the support from our Swedish partners is not only a help to us, but also confirmation that we are on the right track,” said Mykola Baksheev, head of the community. |
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| The Sutyskiv community has received a modern refuse collection lorry from Sweden The community was selected on the basis of a comprehensive assessment. Key factors included the need to expand waste collection services, the presence of a municipal utility capable of operating the vehicle, and a willingness to cooperate with neighbouring communities. |
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From data to decisions: WM4U’s analytical work An important part of our work involves producing analytical reports and research that help communities make informed decisions on waste management. These documents include an analysis of the current state of the sector, an assessment of the challenges and opportunities for development, as well as recommendations for implementing modern approaches in line with European practices. Recent publications include baseline studies on the current situation, challenges and prospects for the development of waste management systems in the Lozivskyi and Kremenchuk clusters, a comparative review of tariff systems in Ukraine, Sweden and Poland, and a report entitled ‘Waste Management Tariffs in Ukraine: An Analysis of the Current Situation’. |
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These materials are designed to support the process of strategic planning and reform within the sector at local, regional and national levels. You can view all WM4U research and analytical materials in the ‘Publications’ section of the programme’s website. |
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Work is continuing on cluster concepts, which are set to be an important step towards the transition from pilot communities to comprehensive cluster-based household waste management systems. WM4U is also preparing for autumn visits to facilitate the exchange of experience between clusters. The main topics will be: - the organisation of waste management at cluster level
- the operation of landfill sites in accordance with modern approaches and standards.
We will provide more details on the results of this work in the next newsletter and at the annual conference in October. |
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The WM4U programme continues to support Ukraine’s transition to a sustainable waste management system. Ahead lie new donor supplies, pilot initiatives and training sessions. We are continuing to work to ensure that systemic changes are felt at a local level.
Thank you to all our partners and communities for your cooperation and for moving forward together.
Keep an eye on WM4U news! 💚 |
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