Environmental crimes committed by russian troops cause irreparable damage to the environment. Natural resources suffer from bombing and mining of territories, construction of fortifications, and destruction of buildings. According to KOVA, as of the beginning of 2024, more than 28.8 thousand objects were damaged in the Kyiv region. Among them are almost 26 thousand private and multi-storey buildings. We need to not only get rid of this garbage, but also apply an ecological principle to its disposal. Sort, recycle and reuse the material.

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Traces of war. The study of the environmental consequences of the war in Ukraine is being carried out by the UWEC community, which brings together scientists and environmentalists from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, the United States, and Germany. The experts analyzed a satellite image of arable land located southeast of the town of Izyum in Kharkiv Oblast. They counted 2052 craters on one square kilometer: 480 from 82mm shells, 547 from 120mm shells, and 1025 from 152mm shells. “On this square kilometer alone, 50 tons of iron, 1 ton of sulfur compounds, and 2.35 tons of copper got into the soil. It is difficult to calculate the amount of heavy metals and other compounds that are smaller. In addition, at least 90,000 tons of soil were turned upside down by the explosions,” the experts summarized. 

Strategy. “Unexploded ordnance and its fragments, burnt vehicles and military equipment, destroyed buildings - all these are the wastes that remain in cities, towns, forests, fields, water and on our land after the fighting. They are called war waste, and it is our duty, experts emphasize, to prevent the merciless impact of improper processing and senseless harmful disposal of these items on the territory of Ukraine.”

The Government of Ukraine has approved the National Waste Management Strategy until 2030. It is expected that its implementation will contribute to the introduction of a waste management system on an innovative basis, the development of relevant legislation, and the improvement of the environment, as well as the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population.

AT KPI. Kyiv Polytechnic participates in the implementation of many government initiatives in various areas. Therefore, it is quite natural to carry out a study on the topic: “Formation of a model for managing waste generated in the course of military operations in Ukraine”. Its goal is to develop a cost-effective, environmentally safe, socially oriented model of waste management generated in the course of military operations in Ukraine. The development and practical implementation of the main provisions of this model will help improve the country's environmental safety and reduce their negative impact on human health.

“The scientific results of the study are the development of alternative models for the collection, transportation, storage and disposal of various categories of waste by building a clear mechanism for interaction between the state, business and society in the process of waste management,” says Professor Alla Grechko, author of the development. ”Since each stage requires special knowledge, skills and equipment, there must be proper coordination of actions by all participants in this process. In addition, effective waste management will allow for timely monitoring of waste generation and reduce threats to the country's environmental safety and the risk of negative consequences for human health.”

He continues: “The applied results of the research include the development of recommendations for improving the regulatory framework of Ukraine, amending laws and introducing new provisions that will allow for the most efficient management of various wastes. In addition, conducting a partial economic feasibility study of the costs of implementing measures within the framework of building a comprehensive model for managing war-related waste will allow assessing the level of funding required for the proposed measures, as well as allocating costs and responsibilities among the participants involved in the implementation of the waste management model. Effective waste management will help reduce costs at all stages of the process, including collection, transportation, storage, and disposal. Proper and effective management of waste generated as a result of military operations will improve public relations, in particular, by reducing dissatisfaction with the policies of the government and local authorities among the population living in areas close to active hostilities and in the de-occupied territories.”

About the author. Alla Grechko is a graduate of Kyiv Polytechnic. In 2006, she graduated with honors from the Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship of the Faculty of Management and Marketing, and now she is a Doctor of Economics, Professor of the same department. She has 169 works, including 157 scientific and 12 educational and methodological works, including 59 articles published in domestic and international peer-reviewed professional journals. Today, with the participation of Alla Volodymyrivna, the Visegrad project “Forecasting factors influencing climate change as part of Sustainable Development Goals 2030” is being implemented, which focuses on climate change and the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment in Ukraine and the EU.

In accordance with the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On Awarding in 2024 of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Scholarships for Young Scientists - Doctors of Sciences”, Alla Grechko received a scholarship from the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for her research on “Formation of a model for managing waste generated in the course of military operations in Ukraine”. This scholarship, initiated by the members of the Ukrainian Parliament - members of the Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, supports the scientific activities of young researchers to create opportunities and incentives for scientific research in Ukraine within the priority areas of science and technology development in 2024.

“The terrible war that has engulfed the territory of Ukraine dramatically changes both personal and national priorities,” the scholarship holder reflects, ”The scientific community, students, and the entire indomitable people of Ukraine must unite and work for victory, believe in the future, thank our Defenders for their lives, and do everything possible to make our common dream of a prosperous and strong, free, militarily and economically independent Ukraine a reality. 

Nadiia Libert