Vilnius - On 31 July, the Environmental Project Management Agency signed the first agreements on financing sludge management infrastructure projects with private limited companies Ðiauliø Vandenys and Dzûkijos Vandenys. Over LTL 98 mln (Euro 28 mln) of European Union structural support for 2007–2013 will be allocated for modernisation of these companies` sludge utilisation system.

“It is aimed at improving the environmental quality,” Environment Vice-Minister Aleksandras Spruogis said. “There are no storage facilities for sludge deposited in waste water treatment plants. After the old landfills where it had been disposed of, which did not meet EU requirements, were closed, sludge has been composted at waste water treatment plant sites. Residents of surrounding districts are forced to live with the bad smell of such sludge. After a sludge management infrastructure is developed, there will be no such a smell, and another negative environmental impact of decaying sludge will be eliminated.”

According to Jonas Matkevièius, director of Ðiauliø Vandenys UAB, upon implementing the project, it is planned to build new sludge treatment plants. Sludge treatment plants will be comprised of sludge digestion, dehydration and drainage equipment, generators and a sludge drying bed. Power generated in Ðiauliai is planned to be used for a waste water treatment plant, with excessive power planned to be sold.

This year, the same agreements are planned to be signed with Maþeikiø Vandenys UAB and Vilniaus Vandenys UAB.

According to Vidmantas Vansavièius, deputy director of the Environmental Project Management Agency, up to LTL 500 mln (euro 145 mln) is planned to be allocated for applications for funding for sludge management infrastructure development projects, including LTL 447.368 mln of Cohesion Fund support and LTL 52.632 mln of co-financing funds.

Quelle: Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania

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