Green Minded Cooperation

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Lithuania-Poland

Date of latest update: 2026-01-26

Description

Description (EN):

Waste is a major environmental, social and economic problem in Europe. In the EU, over 3B tonnes of garbage are discarded each year and 90% of the used resources become waste after their first use. The Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC amended by the Directive (EU) 2018/851) adopted to alleviate this situation set a legal obligation for EU members to take measures for preventing waste generation. This obligation prompted EU countries and regions to review their waste management/prevention programmes. Waste prevention is given a top priority in the Waste Framework Directive (it is at the top of the waste hierarchy). The EU´s subsequent circular economy action plan also defined ambitious numerical targets for the members (e.g residual municipal waste to be halved by 2030). Major progress in waste reduction has not been achieved (In 2010- 2018, the total EU waste generation increased by 5%), leaving a great pressure for the regions to improve this situation. Project Cities face common challenges: the amount of municipal waste per inhabitant was 583.7 kg in Alytus (according to 2020 data), in 2021 in Suwałki: 256 kg. Both Cities aim to reduce waste and encourage waste sorting, promote responsible consumption. The overall objective of the project - to increase public environmental awareness in the field of waste reduction. Expected change the project will make - Waste prevention and waste management solutions will reduce the negative impact of human activity on the environment, will let to increase public environmental awarness in the field of waste reduction, will develop the skills of residents, especially children and youth, of responsible consumption. In the project will be cooperating 45 organizations: Alytus City Municipality, The City of Suwałki, JSC Alytus Regional Waste Management Center, 30 kindergartens (15 from Alytus and 15 from Suwalki) and 12 schools (6 from Alytus and 6 from Suwalki). Will be jointly created Waste Prevention Solutions and will be developed urban waste reduction management solution, that will be applied in practice. The implementation of project activities - exchange of experience and practice in environment protection and reduction of waste fields, will have direct impact for Alytus and Suwalki Cities. The project will help partners to strengthen cooperation links, create instruments for children's and society's education. Raising awareness and skills of kindergartens teachers/ directors in both countries will help to bring positive impact for children's education. Kindergartens children and schools students will be actively involved in the process and project activities will help to develop green minded thinking from the very early days. Project partners have concentrated primarily on the waste prevention stage with some new management solutions. There is a need for expanding knowledge for both project Cities on effective urban waste prevention approaches and learning experiences, focusing on the education of the new generation. "Green Minded Cooperation" will address this gap by uniting 2 crossborder Cities for interregional experience exchange on urban waste prevention practices, paying particular attention to the reduction and recycling of food waste. Project is innovative since it will enhance cross-border urban waste revention (raise awareness among border residents, especially children), will enlarge its scope to multiple waste materials expanding the collection, recycling and recovery of food waste) and will help to develop waste reduction method (strategy) for the development of the youngest generation and formation of skills.

Actual Achievements (EN):

LP1 started the procurement procedures of microbiological food waste recycling containers (30 pc.) and waste reduction strategy adapted to kindergartens in the reporting period. The procurement procedures of microbiological food waste recycling containers are already finished, the contract is signed.It is planned to sign the contract of waste reduction strategy in September, 2024. During the reporting period The City of Suwałki (PP2) organized a conference to open the project on 10.05.2024. During the conference, the project partners presented the planned activities, familiarized themselves with the assumptions and goals of the project, as well as the work schedule. The conference was attended by 41 people - representatives of the project partners. The conference participants were provided with an interpreter and catering services. In addition, on 17.07.2024, the City of Suwałki announced a tender for the purchase of an electric delivery van with a GVW of up to 3.5 tons. No offer was submitted by 31.07.2024 by 9:00. The tender was canceled. Link to the announced tender: https://ezamowienia.gov.pl/mp-client/search/list/ocds-148610-dd8de86b-923c-4a89-9dfb-419661b9be11. In addition, the City of Suwałki prepared documentation for a planned tender for the service of works related to closing and monitoring of garbage shelters during the reporting period. Due to the fact that some of the garbage shelters planned for closure are located in a historic zone, the consent of the conservator of monuments and notification of construction works not requiring a building permit were necessary to carry out variable and assembly works. During this reporting period, ARATC (PP3) participated in the opening conference in Suwalki, where it presented its project activities and provided an overview of the project's objectives and target groups. The procurement of the project's cost verifier/auditor and the development of the script for the film "Responsible Shopping" were completed, with contracts signed with the service providers. LP1 finished the procurement procedures of waste reduction strategy adapted to kindergartens in the reporting period. The contract was signed. In the second reporting period, LP2 (City of Suwałki) continued/implemented the following activities: - selecting the contractor for the task: development of the document "Strategy of the Waste Management in the city of Suwałki and the city of Alytus" and conducting the necessary meetings and educational activities - selected 15 representatives of Suwałki kindergartens, who take part in educational meetings in Alytus and Suwałki (as contribution for LP1 activity 2.1 Waste reduction Strategy creation for educational institutions) - selecting the contractor for the task: delivery of an electric car - selecting the contractor for the task: delivery of access control and monitoring systems for 6 waste container shelters - children from primary schools in Suwałki took part in ecological workshops in Alytus (as contribution for PP3 activity 2.2 Organization of waste prevention workshops for schools students). PP3: During this reporting period, the contract for the creation of the virtual film script was implemented, contributing to the progress of the project and providing the foundation for the next filming stage. As a result of this service, a public procurement for the creation of the film was carried out, and the contract was signed. Additionally, public procurement procedures for container locks and an ecological car for food waste collection were conducted. During this period, PP3 successfully organized 4 joint workshops, which included various activities focused on sustainability and responsible consumption. First, a lecture titled "Sustainability – Responsible Choices in Buying, Using, and Disposing with Sorting" was presented. Then, students participated in a creative workshop, where they worked in groups to come up with innovative ways to reuse plastic, metal, glass, paper, and textile waste. This session also included a waste-sorting game, led by group captains – one from Lithuania and one from Poland. Finally, a discussion of results was held, where the groups presented their work and shared messages with future generations about responsible environmental behavior. These workshops contributed to shaping students' attitudes towards waste reduction, recycling, and sustainable consumption, while promoting cooperation between students from Alytus and Suwalki schools. PP3 has participated by contributing to the development of a waste reduction strategy tailored for education institutions. Our input has been crucial in organizing meetings and discussions with educators, as well as implementing measures for environmental education and waste sorting. PP3 has taken part in both in-person and online meetings, collaborating with other project partners to create an effective and actionable strategy that will benefit kindergartens in the cities of Alytus and Suwałki.

Project outputs: Jointly developed waste reduction and management solution for residents(EN)
Joint Cooperation in Waste Prevention Solutions creation(EN)
Joint creation of Waste Reduction Strategy for educational institutions(EN)

Thematic information

Waste and pollution

Priority: (VI-A_Lt-Pl_1) Promoting environmental wellbeing

Priority specific objective: RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 071 Promoting the use of recycled materials as raw materials

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Alytaus miesto savivaldybės administracija

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N.a.

Department: Finance and Investment Department

Address: Rotušė sq., 62504 Alytus, Lithuania

Department address: Rotušė sq., 62504 Alytus, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.alytus.lt

Total budget: EUR 170 144.09

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 136 115.27

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 34 028.82

Contractors:

Name: UAB "Taiklu"
VAT registration or tax identification number: 304437662
Name: EKT
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT233984413
Name: Terra Publica
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT357778917
Name: Altreklama
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100004060311
Name: UAB "ExumLT"
VAT registration or tax identification number: 306660219
Name: Rasa Michnovic
VAT registration or tax identification number: -
Name: Biuro Tłumaczeń VERUM
VAT registration or tax identification number: -
Name: TRys lelijos
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT495533917
Name: Trys lelijos
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT495533917
Name: Lexin auditas
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100005670019
Name: Alvintra
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT501424811

UAB Alytaus regiono atliekų tvarkymo centras

Name: UAB Alytaus regiono atliekų tvarkymo centras

Partner’s ID if not PIC: LT100001596812

Address: Vilniaus str., LT-62112 Alytus, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.aratc.lt

Total budget: EUR 389 812.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 311 850.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 77 962.50

Contractors:

Name: Isort, UAB
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100008604714
Name: UAB Gluk Media
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100005712311
Name: UAB „Alwark“
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100002923414
Name: UAB "Lexin auditas"
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100005670019
Name: UAB Asterman LT
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT100014217511

Miasto Suwałki

Name: Miasto Suwałki

Department: Development and External Funds Department

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 8442155152

Address: Mickiewicza, 16-400 Suwałki, Poland

Department address: Mickiewicza , 16-400 Suwałki, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.um.suwalki.pl

Total budget: EUR 151 885.07

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 121 508.05

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 377.02

Contractors:

Name: PNTPW w Suwałkach
VAT registration or tax identification number: 8442126570
Name: Eco Heater Wojciech Bajer
VAT registration or tax identification number: 8441291410

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

JSC Alytus Region Waste Management Center

Green Minded Cooperation

Partners and Projects info

Miasto Suwałki

Green Minded Cooperation

Partners and Projects info

Alytus City Municipality Administration

Green Minded Cooperation

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Green Minded Cooperation

Project acronym: Green Minded Cooperation

Project ID: LTPL00041

Project start date: 2024-03-01

Project end date: 2026-02-28

Project status: closed

Relevant linked projects:

Adaptation of existing municipal waste management infrastructure for food/kitchen waste processing" No. 05.2.1-APVA-R-008-11-0002 (EN) | Within the scope of this project, food/kitchen waste processing and compost production equipment has been purchased and installed. Equipment are used in waste management, composting, recycling process and it directly effects environmental protection, pollution reduction and climate change reduction.
The experience of project implementation will allow efficient and high-quality planning and execution of "Green Minded Cooperation" project activities (EN), "Evaluation model of resources recovery from landfills and its testing in Lithuanian conditions" no. 01.2.1-LVPA-V-835-03-0005 (EN) | The project aims to develop a detailed algorithm that will be based on the landfill mining tests performed. Based on them, software for evaluating the potential and recovery of technical, economic and environmental possibilities of products accumulated in waste landfills and resources suitable for energy production will be created. These project results willl be used in waste management system and it's important part of environmental protection.
The experience of project implementation will allow efficient and high-quality planning and execution of "Green Minded Cooperation" project activities. (EN), "Development of municipal waste management infrastructure in Alytus region" no. 05.2.1-APVA-R-008-11-0001. (EN) | During the project, containers were purchased and container sites were installed, collection sites for waste gauges and other waste were installed in Lazdijai district, Varėna district, Druskininkai, biological waste collection sites were purchased for individual holdings. These project results willl be used in waste management system and it's important part of environmental protection.
The experience of project implementation will allow efficient and high-quality planning and execution of "Green Minded Cooperation" project activities. (EN), "Stop Waste" financed by Interreg Europe program (EN) | During this project, Portuguese Association of Municipalities of Viseu Dão Lafões implements a regional development strategy (Estratégia Viseu Dão Lafões 2030), which will be discussed in the project. In this strategy, one of the priority thematic directions is "Environmental protection, energy transition to a sustainable and circular economy" with extremely relevant strategic project goals: "ST2. Reduce waste generation and increase selective collection" and "ST3. Regenerative Economy". This project will help to develop further guidelines, gain good experience from other EU Cities, predict successful methods.
"Stop Waste" and "Green Minded Cooperation" have the same strategic goal - to reduce waste generation, but it's aimed at different levels: "Stop waste" focus on exchange of good experience and good practice, "Green Minded Cooperation" focus on environmental education for the children in kindergartens and School students in cross border countries. (EN), LT-PL-1R-081 ‘Be active – be healthy’ (EN) | The project implemented Alytus City Municipality and Suwalki City Municipality. The project’s aim was to improve physical and emotional health of children. A Health Program for Children's Activity Enhancement was prepared and implemented in the Lithuanian and Polish kindergartens.
The implementation of this project has proven that excellent results are achieved by educating a person from an early age (kindergarten), and healthy lifestyle skills are developed.
One of the goals of "Green Minded Cooperation" is the development of "clean" lifestyle skills, students will be taught not only to sort waste, reduce the amount of waste, but also to protect the environment, to be interested in climate change mitigation, sustainable urban mobility, circular economy. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 711 841.66

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 569 473.32

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 569 473.32. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Installed "Smart" waste collection System in Alytus and Suwalki
Electric car for cleaning garbage cans in the city
Food waste collection vehicle in Alytus
Residents waste strategy
Project opening Conference in Suwalki
Project final Conference in Alytus
Joint strategy for kindergartens created
Waste sorting measures for kindergartens
Waste prevention workshops for School students
Measures of Environmental Education
Virtual reality film creation
Souvenirs

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyBalticSeaRegion Project is in compliance with EUBSR strategy. Implementation of joint project activities will bring people closer to each other and they can benefit from exchanging knowledge and ideas. Project activities are related to EUBSR strategy sub-objectives: Climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management and Connecting people in the region.
Other Strategic plan for the development of the City of Alytus until 2030 - Priority 1. "Comfortable City, Objective" 1.1. "Reduce the impact on climate change, and adapt to it", Targets: 1.1.2. -"Increase green energy production" and 1.1.4. "Boosting the circular economy Development".
Other Strategic activity plan of Alytus City Municipality for 2023-2025 meets Programme for the sustainable development of territories and infrastructure Targets: 31.1.2. "Maintaining a safe and clean environment, promoting the development of the circular economy" and 31.1.2.01. "Reducing and monitoring the impact of pollution on the environment"
Other project is in compliance with Regional Development Programe 2022-2030. The problem of regional development "Not sufficiently sustainable environment that negatively affects the attractiveness of the regions", Target 6.10 "Reducing the amount of waste generated and managing it efficiently"
Other Progress strategy of Lithuania "Lithuania 2030" - project contributes to development of smart society - smart society is a happy society that seeks greater personal and
economic security, a more even distribution of income, a clean environment, social security and political inclusion, providing wide opportunities to learn and develop one's skills, to strive good human health
Other National Progress Plan 2021-2030 - Objective 6. "Ensure good environmental quality and sustainable use of natural resources, protect biological diversity, mitigate Lithuania's impact on climate change and increase resilience to its impact", tasks: 6.11 "Increase the environmental awareness of the population", 6.12 "Strengthen environmental pollution prevention, monitoring and control"

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSBSR

EUSBSR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSBSR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Lithuania-Poland

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2026-01-26

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

100 / 100 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

250 / 250 (100%)

Notes on the data

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Green Minded Cooperation

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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