In the April 16 issue of the newspaper “Staburags” there was a news story in which we talked about the ban imposed by the municipality on burning tree branches and last year’s leaves in the territories of cities and villages in Aizkraukle district. Readers of “Staburaga” asked – if the binding regulations of the municipality of Aizkraukle region “On household waste management in Aizkraukle region” prohibit the burning of garden and park waste in these areas in any way, then what is the alternative. Unfortunately, there are none – the local government admitted.
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After this publication, a native of Transcarpathia shared his observations. He discovered that in the territory of the former reinforced concrete factory on Dzelzceļa Street, where a closed barrier prevents free access to transport, for a long time exactly such waste has been brought and piled in piles – branches and leaves, which are most likely from the greenery of the city of Aizkraukle. “Staburags” also made sure that several piles of branches, twigs and leaves were created in this area, which were piled there for a long time. West also this year, because branches with newly blossomed green leaves were piled in one pile. Since this area belongs to the municipality and only the person who has the key to the barrier can enter it, it can be concluded who brings the branches and leaves there with the message of the municipality. Aizkrauklietis asks why residents from private houses and small gardens in the city can’t bring branches and leaves to this place, or why can’t the city create a composting area for garden and park waste, as is the case in many cities in Latvia?
“Staburags” found out that “Aizkraukles KUK” delivers branches and leaves to the territory of the former reinforced concrete factory after cleaning up the city greenery with a message from the municipality.
“We are not doing anything illegal,” says Zemgus Vītoliņš, head of “Aizkraukles KUK”. The regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on waste collection and sorting places stipulate that a fenced area must be provided for composting garden and park waste, and the area on Dzelzceļa Street is suitable for such a purpose. Aizkraukle city and parish manager Aigars Zīmelis adds that this is only a temporary option, the square is closed and only branches and leaves are brought to it temporarily after cleaning up the city’s greenery. A chipper was purchased from the company “Aizkraukles KUK”, which chops up the largest branches and then uses it as mulch in city plantings. Compost soil also returns to city beds. Z. Vītoliņš says that these days it is, for example, taken to the stage of Aizkraukles parish, where improvement works have started.
To the readers’ question, why can’t the residents also take branches and leaves there, both Zemgus Vītoliņš and Aigars Zīmelis state that this issue is being addressed, and most likely, in the fall, residents of Zaykrauk will be offered the opportunity to hand over garden and park waste for composting. “I understand very well the residents’ concerns and objections, that the municipality does not offer an alternative,” says Z. Vītoliņš. In order to solve this problem, in the territory of “Aizkraukles KUK” an area has started to be built, where there will be a composting place for garden and park waste – branches and leaves. “We already wanted to create a modern compost area two years ago. The idea was to implement a cross-border cooperation project together with Lithuanian partners. However, something slowed down on the Lithuanian side and the implementation of the project was postponed to this year. In order to implement it, co-financing from the municipality was necessary, but after the budget was approved, we learned that it will not be. Consequently, this idea had to be abandoned as well. However, at the moment we have started to create an area that will be mainly intended for the collection and composting of the city’s greenery material. The square will have a separate entrance, in its creation we use the materials available to the company, our workforce, and equipment, and I think we will be able to use it already in the fall.” Residents of the city and parish will also be able to use it, but it is not yet possible to say how this cooperation will take place in practice. Most likely, “Aizkraukles KUK” will organize branches and leaves collection campaigns or people will be able to buy bags for collecting branches and leaves to take them to the waste composting area.
Tags: composting area branches leaves created Aizkraukle Staburags .lv
