Biowaste management in practice – learning and exchange in a German-Ukrainian utility partnership
EcoService-2022 was founded in 2022 by four municipalities in the Poltava oblast as Ukraine’s first waste management association. The founding municipalities received significant support from the ‘Export Initiative Environmental Protection’, which is promoting the development of sustainable waste management in Ukraine on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
EcoService-2022 and the BAV have been working together since September 2023 as part of an utility partnership in the field of recycling management. They want to learn from each other through expert dialogue and improve waste disposal for citizens in the EcoService-2022 service area and make it more sustainable.
As part of this partnership, EcoServices-2022 has already been able to significantly expand the separate collection of glass, paper and plastic in the region. Colleagues from both companies regularly meet virtually or on site in Germany to discuss topics such as landfill management, separate collection and organic waste management.
The German-Ukrainian Municipal Partnership Conference in Münster on 17 June 2025 gave the partners the opportunity to present their cooperation to numerous municipal representatives from both countries. The following day, a study trip took place during which EcoService 2022 employees visited the BAV’s :metabolon innovation centre in Engelskirchen to find out about technologies for recycling green waste and biowaste.
The study trip was linked to a current challenge that EcoService-2022 is facing together with the BAV as part of its utility partnership: the establishment of separate collection of biowaste and green waste and the development of a composting plant to treat this waste. The trip focussed on the practice-oriented exchange of experience in dealing with biowaste and the preparation of the pilot project for composting and collecting green waste in the Poltava region.
BAV as a model for effective biowaste disposal
During the visit, representatives of the BAV presented the Ukrainian delegation with the technical processes currently used for the utilisation of organic waste – from biogas plants to wood composting. The participants were able to see the plants in operation – from the acceptance and processing of organic waste fractions to their conversion into usable compost and energy. They also received valuable practical tips for setting up collection logistics from a long-standing expert in organic waste systems. They also exchanged ideas with the BAV’s ‘Environmental Education’ team on how to organise effective environmental education campaigns focusing on biowaste at the information stand set up especially for this purpose. EcoService-2022 impressed its German counterparts with its modern approach to environmental education, which utilises effective storytelling and social media.
Focus on joint pilot project
EcoService-2022 presented its plans for a planned pilot plant in Pyriatyn. Together, they discussed how German processes can be adapted to local conditions, infrastructure and the experiences of the municipality. They examined possible facilities, logistics models and locations for composting.
“We want to learn about the best practices in order to implement our pilot project as effectively as possible. The visit to BAV and :metabolon was extremely valuable in practical and strategic terms,” emphasised Oleksandr Kotenko, Director of EcoService-2022.
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