The Association of South-Western Municipalities (ASWM) has launched the implementation of the project "Awareness Raising Actions on Waste Management Practices and Responsible Consumption at All Levels of Education," acronym "GET CIRCULAR," funded under the INTERREG VI-A Greece – Bulgaria Programme.

The project aims to promote sustainable practices among citizens of 12 municipalities in the Blagoevgrad region — Blagoevgrad, Kresna, Strumyani, Sandanski, Petrich, Razlog, Bansko, Belitsa, Gotse Delchev, Garmen, Hadzhidimovo, and Satovcha — with students, teachers, and parents as the main target groups. As education plays a key role in the socio-economic transition towards sustainable development and a resource-efficient economy, the project's activities aim to promote responsible consumption and the circular economy as important for both society and the environment.

The overall objective is to raise awareness and implement pilot actions that encourage and strengthen the participation of young people and citizens in general in the sustainable management and reduction of waste, the use of waste as a resource, and responsible behaviour as consumers of goods and services.

The Lead Beneficiary of the project is the University Research Institute of Applied Economic and Social Sciences at the University of Macedonia (Greece), with the Municipality of Thermi (Greece), the American University in Bulgaria, and the Association of South-Western Municipalities as partners. The total project budget amounts to EUR 1,665,031.00, of which EUR 1,332,024.80 is provided by the European Regional Development Fund and EUR 333,006.20 represents national co-financing.

As part of the project (PP4), ASWM's main activities focus on raising awareness of the circular economy and sustainable development among citizens of the 12 cross-border municipalities through an active information campaign and targeted workshops, the delivery of 24 waste-processing machines (two for each municipality) for the collection and processing of PET bottles and metal cans, and the distribution of 500 composters to households in the region.

The expected result is increased public awareness of the benefits of the circular economy across all 12 cross-border municipalities, as well as reduced waste, its recovery, and its transformation into a valuable resource.