„The principled position of the Elektrėnai municipality has yielded results – the transportation of waste to the Kazokiškės landfill is being stopped
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Elektrėnai municipality informs that UAB „VAATC“ has withdrawn the decision that instructed all mixed municipal waste from Vilnius region municipalities to be transported to the Kazokiškės landfill.
According to the message received today from UAB „VAATC“, from July 14 at 15:00, the acceptance of mixed municipal waste at the Kazokiškės landfill is stopped, and waste management is returned to the Vilnius mechanical biological treatment facilities under the previously valid procedure,” the municipality’s statement reads.
Earlier, the municipality announced that it is appealing to the prosecutor’s office “to protect the public interest and the rights of its residents to a safe living environment regarding the evaluation of decisions made by UAB „VAATC“ and the Vilnius city emergency operations manager.”
In the ongoing crisis since last week, the last straw for Elektrėnai was the decision by „VAATC“ to transport all county waste unsorted to Kazokiškės.
“Elektrėnai municipality strongly opposes the decision made by UAB „VAATC“ to transport all mixed municipal waste from all Vilnius region municipalities to the Kazokiškės landfill starting July 14, 2026. This decision was made without involving the Elektrėnai municipality, where the landfill is located, and without assessing the possible consequences for residents’ health, the environment, and the public interest.
Just last week, Elektrėnai municipality contacted Vilnius city municipality, UAB VAATC, the Government representative, the Ministry of Environment, the National Crisis Management Center, and other responsible institutions, urging them to stop decisions regarding the transportation of untreated mixed municipal waste to the Kazokiškės landfill and proposing alternative crisis solutions. Unfortunately, these arguments were not taken into account.
Today the situation has further escalated – UAB VAATC officially instructed all waste carriers in the Vilnius region to transport mixed municipal waste to the Kazokiškės landfill from today until further notice.
According to the Elektrėnai municipality, such a decision creates a dangerous precedent,” the municipality wrote.
However, according to municipal representatives, it was precisely the announcement of their position regarding the appeal to the prosecutor’s office that became the impetus for UAB „VAATC“ to withdraw its decision.
“From the very beginning, Elektrėnai municipality has maintained a consistent position – the waste management crisis cannot be resolved at the expense of one municipality and its residents. Decisions that may have a significant impact on people’s health and the environment must be made legally, responsibly, and with consideration of all possible consequences,” the municipality’s statement says.
On Monday, this crisis was discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the Seimas Environmental Protection Committee. VAATC director Marius Švaikauskas, who participated, claimed that the decision to transport unsorted waste to the landfill is bad, but there is no other way out. According to him, the waste sorting plant operating in Vilnius, managed by “Energesman,” is not coping with the situation, and its territory is overloaded with unsorted and other waste.
Therefore, „VAATC“ has decided to terminate the contract with the mentioned company. The company strongly denies the accusations of improper work.
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