"Ecological Awareness and Waste Management"

"Ecological Awareness and Waste Management" was created on the basis of an association of scientists, professionals working in different fields, environmentalists and volunteers, actively involved in protection of environment beginning from the 2008-2009. Their first activities were mainly associated with prevention of and response to the unauthorized release of chemicals to the environment and identification of the most polluted areas ("environmental hotspots") all-over Georgia.
On June 6, 2014 it was registered as the Non-governmental (Non-commercial) Legal Entity "Ecological Awareness and Waste management" In June, 2014 EAWM established a consortium with the NGO “Georgian Society of Nature Explorers "Orchis" and the NGO "Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of Earth – Georgia" to apply for participation in the project "Clean up Georgia: Phase III".
EAWM will execute the part of the project, which is linked to the enhance of the environmental responsibility of population, business sector and civil society to reduce pollution caused by the hazardous waste and the total volume of the hazardous waste in the country. The principal activities will be:

• To conduct inventory of HW (outdated chemicals accumulated at schools and other education institutions and old tanks of chlorine) in Georgia;
• Create a map indicating corresponding kinds of HW all over Georgia;
• prepare immediate safety action plans of mitigation of high risk hazard for local municipalities and relevant institutions;
• Assist in development and implementation of safety action plans through trainings, warming notes and recommendations;
• Prepare warning recommendations for medium and low risk hazards for local municipality actions;
• Develop manual/guidelines for HW management that will include transportation, storage and utilization of chemicals for schools and institutions laboratories and municipalities;
• Rank the risks and prepare manual/guidelines for further safe disposal of the accumulated old tanks of chlorine in Georgia;
• Introduce the inventory data into prioritization of sites according to assessment where short-term and long term actions are necessary;
• Prepare and disseminate awareness material for public, business and civil society organizations, to be developed for taking preventive measures on HW;
• Prepare warning recommendations for line ministries and Conduct workshops for the governmental officials (on local and central levels), business sector representatives and civil society organizations (CSOs) on HW reduction, preventive measures and effective communication means;
• Training of the laboratory staff and relevant students in HW-lab chemicals safety handling, storing and novel management practices aiming waste reduction and environmental protection;
• Increase public awareness on the presence of HW with emphasis on dangerous outdated laboratories chemicals and old tanks of chlorine and on necessary protection measures;
• Communicate conclusions from the inventories (data analysis, risk assessments, conclusions, eventual immediate or long-term measures to take) back to the respective communities;
• Develop warning and awareness materials on reduction of HW and its impact on human health;
• Develop TV programs dedicated to HW reduction and preventive measures to be prepared and carried out;
• Publish the annual editions, leaflets and posters; other information materials;
• Carry out the field trainings and immediate safety actions;
• Perform other similar activities.

Equal attention will be paid to the all four parts of the targeted groups of the Georgian Society: institutions, municipalities, business-sector (especially –Industrial enterprises) and the civil society organizations.