MICI-BID-AR-2022-0182
Integrated Urban Solid Waste Management Program - Request IV
Country: Argentina
Reception date: January, 31 2022
Current Status: Open
Requesters:
Ignacio Francisco Uranga, Carlos Reyes Terrabusi and Viviana Karina Novelle, in addition to 57 neighbors and residents of Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Summary of the Request
The Request describes potential harm to the quality of life, health, and property of the group of Requesters; coupled with environmental effects and cultural heritage for the community, due to the sanitation of an old landfill (currently in operation) and the opening of a new site in the area, which are part of the Program.
The Request also mentions potential non-compliance with the Bank's Relevant Operational Policies due to the lack of public information on the project and adequate public consultations to give consent by the affected population. Additionally, there is a lack of complete environmental and social studies and a deficient risk analysis on the impact of the works.
Specifically, they allege that there are technical flaws that make the project unfeasible in environmental terms and a health risk due to the presence of toxic waste and polluting liquids that would not be treated correctly (neither due to the current dump in operation, nor contemplated in the new plays). In the same way, they point out that the site chosen to carry out the new landfill would not have sufficient capacity to fulfill the function, coupled with the potential damage to nearby sites considered historical heritage. The foregoing would also significantly affect, from their point of view, the quality of life and the assets of the residents who live in the direct area of influence of both landfills.
Finally, the Request alleges issues outside the scope of the MICI, such as potential irregularities in the bidding process or with respect to local regulations on works, which will be forwarded to the Offices of Institutional Integrity and Procurement.
Recent actions
On June 28, 2023, the investigation panel was formed, made up of Kattya Araya, Phase Coordinator, José Luis Rueda as an expert in the social component, and Gunãrs Platais, an expert in the environmental components of the investigation. The investigation is expected to be completed in March 2024.
Past actions
On February 4, 2022, the MICI notified the Requesters and Management of the registration of the Request.
On April 6, 2022, MICI determined that the Request was eligible because it met all the eligibility criteria established in the MICI Policy. The MICI process excludes issues also included in the Request that relate to possible irregularities in the procurement, bidding, contracting, and awarding of companies, as these matters are outside of the MICI’s scope. This determination of eligibility is not an assessment of the merits of the Request or of the issues contained therein.
The Request was transferred to the Consultation Phase as per the decision of the Requesters.
On July 29, 2022, MICI issued its Assessment Report of the Consultation Phase, indicating that a dispute resolution process is feasible.
On November 11th, 2022 the Board of Executive Directors considered by Short Procedure the Consultation Phase Report. The Report concludes that an agreement was not feasible during the Consultation Phase, and that the request will be transferred to the Compliance Review Phase.
Once the case was transferred to the Compliance Review Phase, a Recommendation and ToR were prepared within the 21-business day period established by MICI policy. Subsequently, the document was sent for comments from the relevant stakeholders and after the comments were addressed, it was distributed to the Board of Executive Directors for its consideration. Finally, on April 3, 2023, the Board approved the Recommendation to conduct a Compliance Review and ToR. The investigation is expected to last 9 months from the date on which the investigation panel is formed, which will be made up of the Compliance Phase Coordinator and two experts.
Project Number:
Environmental Category:
B
Project Name:
Integrated Urban Solid Waste Management Program.
Sector:
WATER AND SANITATION
Project Type:
Loan Operation
IDB Financing:
USD 150,000,000
Registration Registered | Eligibility Eligible | Assessment | Consultation Process | Monitoring | Recommendation for a CR and ToRs | Investigation | CR Report | Monitoring |
Registration | Consultation Phase (CP) | Compliance Review Phase (CRP) |
Chronology and documents
Steps and milestones | Date | Remarks | Documents |
---|---|---|---|
Registry | |||
32983 Request Receipt | 2022-01-31 | Requests of a confidential nature are not published. | |
32984 Notice of Registration | 2022-02-04 | 5 business days from the date of receipt of the Request or 15 business days when further information is required from the Requesters. | |
Elegibility | |||
32985 Management Response | 2022-03-08 | 21 business days from the date of notice of registration. The response will be published as an annex to the Eligibility Memorandum. | |
32986 Eligibility due date | 2022-04-06 | 21 business days from the date of receipt of Management Response or 45 business days after the Suspension is granted. | |
33469 Eligibility Memorandum Public Disclosure | 2022-04-18 | As per the Access to Information Policy (OP-102) the disclosure of this document is done simultaneous to its distribution to the Board of Executive Directors. | |
Consultation phase | |||
Assessment | |||
33470 Deadline for Assessment | 2022-06-06 | On June 2nd, the deadline for the Consultation Phase Assessment was extended. | |
34466 Assessment Report Public Disclosure | 2022-08-24 | As per the Access to Information Policy (OP-102) the disclosure of this document is done simultaneous to its distribution to the Board of Executive Directors. | |
Consultation Phase Process | |||
34467 Consultation Phase Process deadline | 2023-07-29 | 12 calendar months from the date of issuance of the Assessment Report. | |
35062 Consultation Phase Report Public Disclosure | 2022-11-11 | Start date of Board consideration by short procedure. | |
Consultation Phase Closure | |||
35063 Transfer to Compliance Review Phase | 2022-11-14 | ||
Compliance review phase | |||
Recommendation for a Compliance Review and Terms of Reference (ToRs) | |||
35064 Preparation of Draft Recommendation and ToRs due date | 2022-12-16 | 21 business days from the start date of the Compliance Review Phase. | |
35946 Due date for receiving comments on Draft | 2023-01-17 | Management and Requesters have 15 business days to submit their comments to the Draft. | |
35947 Consideration by the Board of Executive Directors of the Recommendation and ToRs | 2023-03-27 | Start date of Board consideration by short procedure | |
35948 Decision by the Board of Executive Directors regarding the Recommendation | 2023-04-03 | Approved. | |
Investigation | |||
36374 Date of integration of Panel | 2023-06-28 | ||
36375 Expected completion date of Investigation / Issuance of Draft Compliance Review Report | 2024-03-29 | The conclusion date of the investigation is set in accordance to the ToRs. |