New developments regarding the implementation of the Waste Management Plan in Croatia

Two months after the adoption of the Waste Management Plan, Croatian government is making steps towards its implementation. On March 30th, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy opened the first public call for projects in the field of waste management and for the construction of recycling yards, which will be co-financed by EU funds.

The Ministry has secured 144.5 million HRK to aid cities and municipalities in constructing recycling yards and more than 70 projects have already been prepared. The construction of recycling yards includes construction work, installation of equipment, supervision, technical assistance in project management as well as informational and educational activities. Functional and efficient recycling yards in the municipal waste management system are key elements in providing separate collection of problematic waste and waste paper, metal, glass, plastic, textiles and bulk waste. Minister of Environmental Protection and Energy Slaven Dobrović announced that other public calls will follow soon, including those for sorting and composting facilities and communal equipment.

This call is expected to increase the separation rate of collected communal waste and to reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills, with the ultimate goal of reaching a separation rate of 50% by 2020, in compliance with the EU’s Waste Framework Directive. In comparison, Croatia's landfilling rates in 2013. were very high (85%) and waste recycling rates low (16%) in relation to the EU’s average recycling rate in the same year (44%). Also, the value of waste which ended up in landfills in Croatia during the last decade is estimated to be up to 5 billion HRK, according to conclusions from Croatia Waste Expo 2015.

With this new set of measures Croatia is expected to move towards circular economy, reduce waste production and significantly increase recycling rates, but also ensure sustainable economic growth and creation of new green jobs.

Sources:

http://www.mzoip.hr/hr/ministarstvo/vijesti/ministar-dobrovic-krenula-provedba-plana-gospodarenja-otpadom-za-reciklazna-dvorista-1445-milijuna-kuna.html

http://balkangreenenergynews.com/european-union-is-funding-recycling-yards-in-croatia-with-eur-19-4-millions/

http://balkangreenenergynews.com/eu-recycles-44-percent-municipal-waste-target-is-to-reach-50/

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/framework/pdf/Waste%20Summary_HR.pdf

Author: RRiF-plus d.o.o.