Tougher penalties to come into force for polluting environment

Several members of parliament have initiated amendments to the code of waste management, according to which the individuals who deliberately burn municipal waste, including leaves, garden/park waste, domestic waste in the open air or inside an inappropriate burning device, will be fined by 500 GEL ($178). 

The initiators think that an effective way to eliminate the problem is to increase the penalties. 

The legal entity who will produce more than 400 tons of inert waste (building, demolition waste, sand, gravel, stone) or any amount of hazardous waste per year, will be obliged to develop a waste management plan for the company”, reads the new Waste Management Code.

The amount of fine for waste disposal of two kilograms of municipal waste from the living apartments or other buildings will be set at 200 GEL ($71) instead of 100 GEL ($35).

An individual will be fined by 500 GEL instead of 100 Gel for wasting the environment with batteries, accumulators, light bulbs, electrical devices, sharp objects, including glass splitters and nails.

Polluting the environment with a large amount of waste, including vehicles and electrical devices, will be fined four times more than provided: physical persons – 2,000 GEL ($712), legal entity – 6,000 GEL ($2136).

The draft code has been  initiated by the members of Parliament, Goga Gulordava and Sulkhan Makhatadze from the Georgian Dream ruling party.

The new Waste Management Code that was adopted in Georgia in 2014, entered into force from December 1, 2019.