Ilsur Metshin: “Yesterday this site was a huge waste dump. Today it is a green hill. And tomorrow there will be a beautiful grove!”

The final phase of reclamation of the Samosyrovo waste dump -planting and landscaping- has launched in Kazan.

Today Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin has started the final phase of reclamation of the Samosyrovo waste dump – landscaping of its territory. “This is a historic moment. I suggest no longer call this place Samosyrovo dump – now it's Samosyrovo hill. And tomorrow there will be a beautiful grove here”, - said I.Metshin

“There was a whole “Garbage Everest” that smelled awful, and now, that is just history”

The Samosyrovo waste dump, which covers an area of 32 hectares, has buried more than 45 million tons of waste since the 60’s of the last century. It has reached the height of 45 meters. Until recently, it was considered the largest waste dump in Tatarstan and a source of constant danger. In addition to the specific smell, the dump was constantly on fire that occurred due to spontaneous combustion of landfill gas.

Kazan became one of the first cities in Russia to reclaim waste dumps. Specialists developed a reclamation project, which took 4 years to implement. 367 million rubles were allocated for these purposes, the Mayor reminded. “It was done using the latest technologies and using world experience, - he said. - The waste is covered with special insulation, the soil is laid on top, a meter layer of ground and 15 cm -layer of black soil, which allows us to plant plants here”.

At the first stage of landscaping, 500 rowan trees will be planted at the foot of the hill. On the hill, three-year-old spirea shrubs are being planted – in total, it is planned to plant 1 thousand shrubs. The Mayor noted that this is only the beginning of landscaping: on his initiative, trees and shrubs will also be planted in the sanitary zone of the dump, which is five hundred meters around the hill.

“The project is quite expensive, but the environment, health of Kazan citizens and future generations are more precious, - I.Metshin added. – There was a whole “Garbage Everest”, people remember what it smelled like. Now, this is history”.

“In a few years, a real landscape area with trees and flowers will be created here”

The reclamation of the Samosyrovo waste dump started in 2016. Then its slopes were made low, the height of the dump was lowered by a third – up to 30 meters. The cut-off waste was moved to a 7-hectare site allocated at the base of the landfill.

During the work, the garbage was covered with a special film that protects it from rain and meltwater. Due to the lack of moisture, the rotting processes slowed down. And the gas that previously accumulated as a result of rotting is brought out using a special drainage system, explained Deputy head of the Executive Committee Iskander Giniyatullin.

“Previously, the forest around the hill looked like black charred pencils because of the gases. As soon as the waterproofing has been done, the greenhouse effect was removed, the forest changed – as if it had been so green and beautiful all its life, - the Mayor said. - In a few years, a real landscape area with trees and flowers will be created here. You will show the children and tell them that once there was a waste dump here and they will not believe it”.

“The next step is new technologies for waste separation and recycling”

Today, when the issue of the Samosyrovo waste dump is solved, it is necessary to prevent the emergence of new landfills, the Mayor said.

“The existing reserves will be enough for waste disposal for only three years, - the Mayor said. – It's important to think about it now. Therefore, the next step for us is new technologies for waste separation and recycling. Today, many citizens sort garbage. It is important that there are more such people in the city, so that the share of separate waste collection and recycling is constantly increasing”.