Worker in hazmat suit and helmet holding a clipboard at a demolition site.

Debris management in Ukraine

March 2022 - Ongoing

Donors: The Governments of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the European Union, and the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund.

Implemented: USD 64 million


The
 war 
in 
Ukraine 
has 
generated
 millions
 of
 tonnes
 of 
debris,
placing
 pressure 
far beyond 
the capacity
 of
 existing
 waste
 management
 systems.
 Safe
 and
 structured
 debris
 management
 is
essential
 for
 recovery,
 environmental
 protection,
 and
 Ukraine's
 alignment
 with
 EU
 waste
 and
circular
economy
 requirements.


UNDP mission is to support Ukraine in developing a sustainable, EU-aligned debris management system, implementing
sustainable
 approaches
to
managing
debris
from war-damaged
 buildings, ensuring
its
safe
removal
and
sorting, promoting
the
recycling
and
reuse
of
recovered
materials, and advancing
circular
economy
solutions
for
sustainable
 recovery
and
reconstruction.


Project goals

 

Establish a comprehensive national regulatory framework for debris and waste management, aligned with EU and international standards, to ensure safe, sustainable and consistent practices across Ukraine.

 

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Enable Ukrainian municipalities to safely and efficiently remove, sort, assess, recycle and reuse debris, facilitating reconstruction and recovery.

 

Protect public health, workers and the environment by establishing effective systems for detecting, handling and safely disposing of hazardous materials, particularly asbestos.

 

Transform war-generated debris into valuable resources for reconstruction, reducing waste, improving resource efficiency and creating economic opportunities.

 

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Mobilise private-sector expertise, investment and technological innovation to develop scalable and commercially viable solutions for debris recycling and sustainable construction.

Achievements

26

communities

across 8 regions supported

1,084,029

tonnes of debris

have been removed and sorted across 1,938 sites

3,650 m3

of hazardous materials

safely collected and removed

125

units

of debris & waste management equipment provided

4

mobile

debris crushing sites established

81,650

tonnes

of debris reused & 15,530 recycled

1st

national

asbestos detection laboratory established

9

national standards

for asbestos detection, monitoring, and safe management adopted

300

specialists

in asbestos standards application

Plans and needs for 2027-2028

 

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280,729 tonnes of debris to be removed and sorted in more than 10 communities of 8 regions. 

 

 

 

195,000 tonnes to be recycled for further possible reuse in roads construction, and production of concrete and cement.

 

Arranging of landfills and storage sites, with the design for the landfills for asbestos disposal and clean up the old storages with debris.
 

 

25 units of debris management equipment to be provided

Videos

Photos

UNDP supports safe demolition of damaged buildings in Kharkiv
Japan and UNDP open Ukraine’s first national laboratory for asbestos detection
UNDP conducts training sessions on safe handling of debris, including ACM and EO
UNDP & JICA conduct joint training sessions on asbestos awareness and safe handling to protect workers and communities’ health
South of my home. Ukraine. Ihor
Kyiv hosts private screening of documentary film Counterforts on resilience and recovery in wartime Ukraine
UNDP and Republic of Korea support debris and municipal waste management in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions
Losing a home and keepsakes: The Ovcharenko family’s story
Demolition of destroyed social infrastructure in Posad-Pokrovske, Kherson region
UNDP supports safe demolition of damaged buildings in Sumy
Japan, EU, UNDP donate equipment for debris and municipal waste management in Ukraine