Reclamation of Hrybovytskyi landfill in the final stage: 87% of works completed

The reclamation of the Hrybovytskyi landfill, one of the most complex waste management facilities in the country, is in its final stages. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba, as reported by UNN.

Today in Lviv, the key stage of many years of work on the reclamation of the Hrybovytskyi landfill is being completed. This place is well known to everyone who works with the topic of municipal infrastructure. The landfill has been operating since 1957, and over decades, more than 14 million tons of waste have accumulated here. The area is almost 39 hectares. For the region, this was one of the most painful environmental hotspots.

According to him, the project involved the restoration of the entire landfill area and the cleaning of adjacent areas that suffered in 2016 during the landslide, as well as areas where leachate lakes formed.

Kuleba added that the work was carried out in two stages.

The first phase – technological, costing 17.8 million euros, was completed in October 2024. Dangerous slopes were stabilized, contaminated areas were cleared, and the territory was leveled and terraced. A technical protective screen was created to block the formation of new leachates and the release of landfill gases. Systems for collecting and diverting surface water were installed. A modern complex for collecting and utilizing landfill gas with electricity generation was launched. Leachate lakes were eliminated, and a system for their treatment was created. The second phase – biological, costing 8.4 million euros, is currently in its final stage.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, 87% of the work has been completed to date: a drainage layer has been formed throughout the entire territory, a soil layer has been applied, perennial grasses have been planted, and reservoirs for water treatment and fire extinguishing have been arranged. An updated groundwater monitoring system is in operation.

The work performed changes not just the appearance of this place – it forms a new approach to community safety near such facilities. The Hrybovytskyi landfill has for many years been a symbol of a problem that has accumulated over decades. Today, it is becoming an example of how the community, international partners, and a professional team can restore safety where it has long been lacking. This is an important result for Lviv and a good benchmark for other cities working on modernizing waste management systems.

The project is being implemented within the framework of the Municipal Infrastructure Program of Ukraine (UMIP), a joint program of the Ministry of Development and the European Investment Bank.

Recall

The fire at the Hrybovytskyi landfill in 2016 was a large-scale tragedy that occurred on May 28 during firefighting, when a garbage collapse happened, resulting in the death of three rescuers and an environmental engineer. Lviv was left without garbage collection, which caused an environmental crisis and prolonged reclamation of the landfill with the involvement of European funds and the construction of a waste processing plant. The cause of the fire that led to the collapse was spontaneous combustion due to improper operation of the landfill, which was investigated as official negligence.