The Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council implements modern approaches to waste recycling in order to reduce disposal volumes and ensure the rational use of resources.

Upon the arrival of solid household waste at the Complex, the enterprise sorts out secondary raw materials. In particular, paper, plastic, glass, tin cans, and Tetra Pak-type packaging are sorted and subsequently transferred to processing enterprises for the production of new goods.

The enterprise's sorting line has a design capacity of up to 80 thousand tons of mixed waste per year and up to 40 thousand tons of pre-sorted waste, allowing for the efficient processing of significant volumes of solid household waste.

Waste recycling helps reduce the burden on landfills, preserve natural resources, and develop environmentally responsible waste management in the city of Kharkiv.

The Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council ensures the regular and uninterrupted transportation of solid household waste in the city of Kharkiv — from the places of its generation to treatment and disposal facilities.

The enterprise has its own fleet of over 50 units of specialized equipment, including vehicles for the separate collection of solid household waste. The container fleet consists of about 370 containers, which allows for the efficient organization of the waste collection and transportation process.

To accurately account for waste volumes, modern truck scales with an automated accounting system based on RFID technology have been installed on the territory of the Complex, which receives the waste.

ME "MCWM" KCC cooperates with legal entities and private entrepreneurs, providing waste transportation services according to the needs of consumers.

The Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council is implementing a system for the separate collection of solid household waste.

In particular, in the Kyivskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Kholodnohirskyi, and Osnovianskyi districts of the city, 9 sets of specialized "Bell" type containers designed for the collection of separate waste fractions (plastic, glass, paper, etc.) have been installed.

In addition, upon request from legal entities and private entrepreneurs, the enterprise installs containers for separate waste collection in office premises and on the streets, particularly for glass, paper, plastic, and used batteries.

The Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) is carrying out a consistent transformation of the waste management system in Kharkiv, implementing modern technological, infrastructural, and management solutions. The enterprise's activities cover the entire spectrum of waste streams — from solid household waste to construction and demolition waste — with a focus on minimizing disposal, reusing resources, and environmental safety.

The enterprise implements infrastructural and investment projects aimed at forming an integrated waste management system that complies with modern European approaches of the circular economy and principles of sustainable development.

Among the key areas of work are:

• implementation of modern waste recycling technologies with a transition from a disposal model to a model of resource utilization of materials;
• increasing the level of sorting and separate waste collection, development of logistics infrastructure, and optimization of waste streams;
• development of the production of goods from secondary raw materials, including the use of recycled materials in urban infrastructure and landscaping;
• integration of European standards of environmental safety and landfill management, in particular regarding emissions control, leachate management, and landfill gas utilization;
• participation in international, state, and municipal projects aimed at modernizing the industry, attracting investments, transferring technologies, and increasing the institutional capacity of the community.

The implementation of these directions contributes to the formation of a modern, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible waste management system that meets the needs of the city's recovery and the long-term sustainable development of the community.

In order to minimize the negative impact on the environment and reduce landfill gas emissions, in particular methane formed during the biological decomposition of solid household waste, the Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) is implementing a set of technical and organizational measures aimed at the environmentally safe management of the landfill in Kharkiv. In particular, the enterprise ensures:

• effective isolation of waste by layered covering and compaction, which reduces uncontrolled gas formation, prevents the spread of odors, leachate, and biological agents, and guarantees compliance with sanitary and epidemiological requirements;
• implementation of landfill gas collection and purification technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing the risks of ignition or explosive concentrations. In particular, gas purification equipment is used, including scrubber-type installations, which allow for the removal of impurities and reduction of the toxicity of gas emissions before their further utilization or controlled flaring;
• systematic monitoring of gas generation and the condition of the landfill body, which makes it possible to timely identify potential environmental risks, optimize technological processes, and ensure compliance with environmental legislation.

The implementation of these measures helps to reduce the climate impact of the landfill, increase the level of environmental safety, and form a modern waste management system focused on controlling the life cycle of landfill gases.

When working with construction and demolition waste, the Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) implements Urban Mining approaches. This is the process of extracting valuable materials (metals, plastics, and building materials) from the city's waste: demolished or dismantled construction objects.

The raw materials obtained from construction and demolition waste in the form of dry mixture and secondary crushed stone are used to arrange access roads and landscaping elements of the Complex. At the same time, laboratory studies are being conducted and a concept is being developed for using secondary raw materials as additives for the formation of concrete and concrete structures. This will preserve natural resources, reduce waste disposal volumes, and save money on disposal and the purchase of new materials.

This direction includes:

• selection of valuable components from waste streams;
• preparation of materials for reuse;
• reduction in the consumption of natural resources;
• formation of a closed cycle of materials use in urban infrastructure.

The Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) ensures the safe collection and transfer for further disposal of such hazardous waste from the population as used batteries, fluorescent lamps, and mercury-containing materials. For this purpose, specialized stationary containers for hazardous waste collection have been installed in public places in Kharkiv, which are collected on schedule by the "We Care About Lightbulbs!" Ecobus.

The collected hazardous household waste is transferred at the expense of the enterprise for further disposal to specialized licensed companies in compliance with all environmental and sanitary standards.

The activities of all facilities of the Solid Waste Treatment Complex (hereinafter - the Complex) are focused on the continuous reception of waste, its technological treatment, and safe placement in compliance with the requirements of environmental legislation.

The Complex is operated using modern specialized equipment and technological solutions that ensure the stable operation of the waste management system. This approach makes it possible to reduce disposal volumes, increase the efficiency of existing capacities, and create conditions for the development of waste recycling and the implementation of circular economy principles.

The main activities of the Complex include:

• reception, accounting, and control of waste streams, in particular solid household waste, construction and demolition waste, as well as hazardous waste;
• sorting and preparation of solid household waste for further treatment, recovery, or disposal;
• compaction, layered storage, and isolation of waste in accordance with technological requirements;
• sorting, storing, and crushing construction and demolition waste for its subsequent use;
• operation and maintenance of engineering systems and technological infrastructure of the Complex;
• management of leachate generation, collection, and discharge processes;
• implementation of environmental control of the environment in the impact zone of the facility, in particular soils, atmospheric air, and water environment;
• preparation of solid household waste disposal sites for further reclamation.

The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into the territory of Ukraine has led to an urgent need to implement effective technologies for processing and reusing waste generated as a result of dismantling construction objects destroyed during hostilities.

In accordance with the Procedure for the Management of Waste Generated in Connection with the Damage (Destruction) of Buildings and Structures as a Result of Hostilities, Terrorist Acts, Sabotage, or Eliminating Their Consequences, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated September 27, 2022, No. 1073, as well as the order of the Department of Housing and Communal Economy of the Kharkiv City Council dated October 3, 2022, No. 442, the Solid Waste Treatment Complex (hereinafter - the Complex) is designated as a facility for managing waste generated in connection with the damage (destruction) of buildings, structures, unfinished construction objects, and landscaping objects on the territory of the city of Kharkiv.

During three years of war, the Complex has received significant volumes of demolition waste: from 3.5 thousand tons in 2022 to 136.9 thousand tons in 2025. This indicates the growing role of the Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) in the processes of restoring Kharkiv's urban infrastructure.

Upon arrival at the Complex territory, each dismantled construction object is weighed, recorded, and spatially bound, indicating the address, entrances, apartment composition, etc. Subsequently, in accordance with the requirements of the current legislation of Ukraine and with the consent of the owner of the damaged object, environmentally safe demolition waste is subjected to crushing using crushing and sorting equipment. This equipment was received by ME "MCWM" KCC as part of international technical assistance under the USAID "HOVERLA" program, as well as from the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

At the end of 2025, on the territory of the Solid Waste Treatment Complex (hereinafter - the Complex), a sorting line with a design capacity of 80 thousand tons/year of mixed waste and 40 thousand tons/year of separately collected waste began operating in test mode.

The sorting line allows the employees of the Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) to effectively separate valuable materials from the solid household waste stream, such as plastic, paper, glass, wood, metal, and other components. The sorted secondary raw materials undergo a pressing process and are sent for further recovery (recycling).

Sorting solid household waste helps to reduce the volume of waste subject to disposal, ensures the reuse of secondary resources, reduces the negative impact on the environment, prevents pollution of soils, water resources, and atmospheric air, and is also an important component of preserving the environment and rationally using the natural resources of the territorial community.

The Solid Waste Treatment Complex (hereinafter - the Complex), managed by the Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC), is one of the largest and most technologically advanced in Ukraine.

It is a strategically important infrastructural facility with international investments, ensuring the functioning of a full technological cycle of waste management. Its work is aimed at reducing waste disposal volumes, effectively using resource potential, and minimizing environmental impact.

The following operate on the territory of the Complex:

• a point for receiving, weighing, and routing waste;
• a sorting line for solid household waste;
• active and reclaimed waste disposal sites;
• a system for collecting, transporting, and utilizing landfill gas;
• a system for collecting and treating leachate;
• a site for receiving, sorting, and crushing construction and demolition waste;
• a hazardous waste management site.

The Municipal Enterprise "Municipal Company for Waste Management" of the Kharkiv City Council (hereinafter - ME "MCWM" KCC) is an authorized organization of the executive committee of the Kharkiv City Council in the field of waste management, as well as an operator in the field of treatment, processing, and disposal of solid household waste.

The enterprise is subordinate to the Department of Construction and Road Economy of the Kharkiv City Council. Its activities are aimed at forming a modern, environmentally safe, and resource-efficient waste management system that meets the principles of sustainable development and European approaches to resource management.

ME "MCWM" KCC ensures the organization and coordination of waste management processes in the territory of the city of Kharkiv, including the reception, treatment, utilization, and disposal of waste. The enterprise forms a single technological cycle of waste management aimed at reducing disposal volumes and maximizing the involvement of waste for reuse as secondary raw materials.

Among the main tasks of the enterprise are:

• organization of the work of waste management facilities;
• ensuring continuous reception of waste;
• optimization of waste streams and their distribution according to technological treatment processes.