Seven loaded Boeing weighing the equivalent of litter along the motorways

Although the primary task of MKIF Zrt. is not at all to collect and dispose of waste, nevertheless, as the figures above show, significant resources are devoted to waste management in order to provide the travelling public with a clean and cultured rest and travel environment.

Its waste management tasks are mainly determined by compliance with the legal requirements (e.g. Decree 6/1998 (III. 11.) on the regulation of the management of national roads, Act CLXXXV of 2012 on waste, etc.) and the fulfilment of the obligations undertaken in the contract with the Hungarian State.

In addition to pavement and roadside cleaning, the cleaning tasks also cover the motorway service areas and roadside areas. The amount of waste collected annually comes from three main sources: service area operation, roadside litter picking and the clean-up of illegal waste dumps found anywhere in the operational area.

Municipal waste collection practices at motorway service areas

At the rest areas of the motorway network operated by the Company (with some exceptions), municipal waste is collected in 3-5 m³ underground containers and then transported for disposal. In all cases, a lorry with a crane is required to empty these large containers.

It is important to point out that small 60-100 litre bins, typically located around benches and tables in picnic areas, are available to the travelling public to dispose of waste generated during the journey.

The waste is transferred from these small containers to the large containers mentioned above during the daily cleaning of the rest areas.

A total of 186 large underground waste containers are currently in operation at 146 rest areas on the main line operated by MKIF Zrt..

The advantage of these containers is that the waste storage does not take up a significant amount of space in the recreation area, and their installation does not require the construction of other structures such as masonry, as a significant part of the storage capacity is underground, vertically. It can accommodate more waste as a function of its position and weight. If properly sealed, the waste is not or less accessible to rodents than in above ground storage.

Selective waste collection practices at motorway service areas

MKIF Zrt. has taken over from the Hungarian State a total of 80 motorway service areas, which are equipped with a so-called full separate collection island for the disposal of selectable waste generated during the journey.

In these rest areas, typically 4-5 large containers (1500 or 2000 l) per direction of travel are used for the collection of selective waste in 4 fractions: PET, paper, glass and metal.

In fulfilment of the environmental commitment in the Concession Contract, from 1 September 2023, in addition to the above, an additional 45 rest areas have been included in the scope of the motorway rest areas providing separate waste collection services.

In these rest areas, as required, the separation islands were installed in 2 fraction collection designs: 1 to 1 container for the collection of 1 to 1,500 litres of PET and paper. The containers are emptied by means of a two-hook crane system through the bottom of the container.

Waste is collected, in the case of municipal waste, according to a schedule based on the operating experience of previous years, typically 1-3 times a week, depending on the period and the track, and in the case of selective waste, the entire collection island is emptied depending on the saturation level, while the new islands are emptied every two weeks, in accordance with the Concession Agreement.

Trackside litter picking

In addition to the cleaning of rest areas, MKIF Zrt. also collects litter in roadside (unpaved) and fenced areas (including river, divider and intersection areas) regularly three times a year (evenly distributed throughout the year) and, if necessary, on a campaign basis, on a case-by-case basis in a section.

Waste is collected separately according to its form and characteristics.

Difficulties, challenges to overcome

Unfortunately, the amount of waste dumped illegally at motorway service areas is increasing year by year. Why is it illegal to dump waste at service areas? It is because the road operator has a statutory obligation to ensure the disposal of waste generated during the journey in a civilised way and to ensure its disposal (recycling in the case of selective waste).

The number and size of large waste bins installed at motorway service areas, and the design of the drop-off openings are designed for this type and quantity of waste.

Any person who places excess waste next to the collection containers or dumps waste that is not of the same nature as the waste generated during the trip at the rest area, for example, from home, is committing illegal dumping.