Oleksii Abasov: A Choice That Cannot Be Postponed: Waste Reform as Ukraine’s Point of No Return

Some reforms are endlessly postponed under the assumption that they can wait for better times. Waste management is one of them. It is often treated as secondary — something to address after recovery, after growth, after stability returns. This assumption is deeply flawed.

Waste reform is not a consequence of development. It is a prerequisite for it.

Across Europe, waste management has long ceased to be a municipal issue. It is a measure of institutional maturity, regulatory credibility, and long-term economic planning. No country has joined the European Union while maintaining an outdated, opaque waste system.

Ukraine now stands at a rare historical moment. Post-war reconstruction, international support, and investor interest create a narrow window of opportunity. Strategic mistakes made at this stage will have consequences for decades.

There are two paths forward. One offers quick, visible actions that create the appearance of reform without changing the system itself. The other requires difficult decisions, regulatory discipline, and alignment with European standards — but it builds a foundation for sustainable growth.

Waste reform is ultimately about trust. Institutional investors and development banks assess such sectors as indicators of a country’s ability to enforce rules, manage risk, and think long term. Failure here signals broader governance weaknesses.

Delaying this choice is, in itself, a decision — one that favors stagnation over transformation.

Waste reform is not about garbage.
It is about Ukraine’s future economic model.

Alexey Abasov, entrepreneur

Мірошник В’ячеслав

Закінчив Київський національий університет культури і мистецтв. У журналістиці - з 2018 року. Працював спортивним оглядачем та займався публіцистикою. У послужному списку також робота на радіо і в друкованому журналі. Зі Svoboda.ua з 2020-го року.