Cleaning up our act: How Sofia is transforming waste management

About the OECD #ResilientPlaces blog series 
In an era of unprecedented economic, environmental and geopolitical changes, local and regional leaders are uniquely placed to turn these changes into opportunities to improve the well-being of all citizens, strengthen resilience and boost competitiveness. Following the OECD Regional Development Policy Ministerial Committee meeting in Warsaw, Poland (19–20 May 2025), the OECD Champion Mayors, local and regional leaders, as well as stakeholders, continue to share innovative solutions to reinforce local and regional resilience in this blog series.

“You saved my marriage!” This was a resident’s heartfelt exclamation to my team at the latest edition of Magata Fest – a pop-up drop-off point for the collection of end-of-life items we launched this spring that rotates across Sofia’s districts. The resident had been in despair for decades as his house filled with clutter, leaving little room for daily life and straining his marriage. 

Dysfunctional disposal 

He was not alone. For decades, Sofia’s dysfunctional waste management system left many people with few options to dispose of bulky – or hazardous – items. At the same time, municipal landfills were nearing full capacity. For years, recyclable materials had been landfilled, and we identified 240 illegal dumpsites where construction companies and households had systematically and unlawfully disposed of waste. 

It would be no exaggeration to say that that Sofia’s waste management system was reminiscent of practices long abandoned in Europe – scarce regulations poorly understood or communicated to stakeholders, coupled with inadequate oversight and control. 

This is not merely a challenge for the city administration, but a concern for every resident of Sofia. 

New initiatives 

To address this, we initiated a radical reform of all our processes. 

We reformed the municipal waste treatment plant to boost the production and recovery of fuel and recyclables found within mixed municipal waste. 

We comprehensively revised the municipality’s contracts with waste collection companies, introducing significantly higher standards for their equipment and the containers used for collecting urban waste. 

We implemented new regulations, positioning Sofia as a national leader in an unprecedented effort to raise the bar for organisations responsible for packaging waste recovery. 

And we pioneered an entirely new initiative – the pop-up platforms for the separate collection of diverse waste types – to support households while we bridge the infrastructure gap needed for a lasting solution to the separate collection of furniture, tires, old medicines, household renovation waste, and similar items. 

Engaging citizens 

However, we recognise that even the most robust legal framework, infrastructure, and technological solutions will fall short without public engagement. Therefore, our second crucial step is to involve and motivate all stakeholders. A one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient here. We are therefore developing precisely targeted campaigns with carefully crafted messages and well-chosen media channels, aimed at narrowly segmented audiences based on demographic, behavioural, or professional criteria, including: 

• Engaging households through mobilise district administrations and building managers to ensure citizens are well-informed about regulations, the responsibilities of all parties, and waste disposal options. 

• Engaging schools through educational campaigns to engage the youngest members of our community, who bring energy and genuine enthusiasm for environmental protection. 

• Engaging businesses through campaigns targeting commercial establishments, food service venues, hospitals, and even veterinary clinics to help them understand and adopt best practices. 

Boosting enforcement 

The third vital component of our systematic efforts is enhanced oversight and control. 

As part of this, we mapped illegal dumpsites, allocated funds for their clearance, and intensified controls on illegal dumping. In 2024, the Sofia Municipality Inspectorate issued two to three times more fines for various waste-related violations. 

We also engaged national law enforcement institutions to secure state-level support for our efforts to tackle waste-related offenses and illicit practices. 

Finally, our new contracts with waste management companies also incorporate much stricter controls, featuring smart tracking systems for collection vehicles and volumes, as well as penalties three to ten times higher than before to incentivise diligent performance. 

A more sustainable Sofia 

As highlighted by the recent OECD report on the circular economy in Sofia, there remains work to be done across all three pillars – infrastructure, stakeholder communication, and control – but we are already witnessing the initial positive outcomes of our efforts to reform Sofia’s system. 

While the anecdote of a Sofia resident claiming Magata Fest saved their marriage is shared with a touch of humour and a smile, the gratitude of the thousands who are already benefiting from the new opportunities is something we take with utmost responsibility and seriousness – fuelling our determination to continue finding solutions that make life for the people of Sofia more orderly, cleaner, and more pleasant overall.