Waste management

S

P

E

C

I

A

L

E

D

I

T

I

O

N

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

WE ARE WASTING ENERGY The biggest problem is that there is no independent green fund

he ecological situation in Serbia is constantly disquieting. Environmental protection is still a side issue in the news, but also when it comes to the priorities of the Government of Serbia and the entire society. We talked with Goran Čabradi, Chairman of ASWA’s Managing Board, about ecology, green idea, green politics and the state of the environment in Serbia.

T

Waste has been a problem in Serbia for several decades, while recycling is often talked about. What have we done specifically in these areas all these years?

— The greatest achievement is that awareness about these problems is on a significantly higher level than just a few years ago, in both citizens and decision-makers.

That's the biggest shift. In practice, it has not changed much. In addition to several recycling centres and regional landfills, the vast majority of municipalities and cities in Serbia did not do much, and the line ministry does not have a proper strategy or plan of action. Our authorities most often count on donations or EU funds when it comes to handling waste, but in practice, that is not realistic to expect at all. I'm not saying that it does not happen, but these are drawn out processes, for which, I'm afraid, we do not have much time.

In Serbia, we have a situation whereby we are constantly talking about boosting the level of waste management and recycling and have numer-

2

ous conferences on achievements in this area, but close to 25% of the generated waste is not included in the elementary collection process. That means 1,500 tonnes of generated municipal waste a day that is directly thrown on fields, forests or entrances to cities. Annually, this amounts to 500,000 tonnes. So, that’s half a million tonnes of waste that is not collected at all and left to the waste generators (households) for disposal. We have not yet solved the elementary problem of waste collection, and yet many are dreaming about the technologies that are used in the West.

It is very important to understand that achieving progress in waste management is a process and that this process requires graduality and rationality.

There is a mitigating circumstance in as much that we do not have to invent anything since everything we need already exists. We just need to carefully select models that are applicable in our circumstances but also be aware that progress in waste treatment implies new costs.

How much are we lagging behind European countries?

— Unfortunately, a lot, but fortunately, we can catch up to them. Luckily, we are talking about making the most elemental decisions about simple things.

It’s not space technology. It is very important that experts are involved in decision-making processes, and that politicians are those who implement them.

Our delay compared to the developed

I N T E RV I E W

G O RA N Č A B RA D I Chairman of Managing Board of ASWA

Our delay compared to the developed European countries can also be an advantage: let's not repeat the mistakes that they sometimes did

European countries can also be an advantage: let's not repeat the mistakes that they sometimes did. That is why it is very important that the ministries adopt a strategy that will be realistic, rational, and sustainable so that all stakeholders have a long-term economic benefit.

Today, in Europe, the average treatment of one tonne of municipal waste costs between EUR 100 to 300. In our country, the average cost for the same quantity is about EUR 10 – 50. We need to be aware that investment is an expense, and that any increase in the level of waste treatment will translate into a new expense for citizens. It is therefore important to be careful in choosing the future system. We are in the process of investing heavily in waste collection and transport systems, waste treatment, and disposal. Whatever system we choose, there is always the same thing at the end of the chain – the disposal of an unused part of the waste.

Even when you incinerate waste, there is a part that still needs to be disposed of. We have already heard estimates that over EUR 2 billion euros has to be invested in the waste sector in order to achieve European norms. I think that this amount is significantly higher, but what our citizens need to know is that nobody will just give us this money. We have to pay that money for ourselves. To get back to your question – yes, we are lagging a lot, but not hopelessly. We need to provide money for every stage of progress in elevating the level of treatment.

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

The recycling industry is currently financed by subsidies from the state budget. What are the projections for the recycling industry for the next 10 years and do you see the establishment of a recyclable materials market as a possible solution?

— In itself, recycling is not profitable without the stimulation from the state, and our state must finally decide whether or not it wants to recycle and return waste to a reuse cycle. The state has passed laws that it does not adhere to.

Refunds to recyclers are not paid in time and we are in a situation whereby the recycling industry is drawing its last breath. Only a few days ago, recyclers of hazardous waste received some of the compensation for 2018. The amount of money owed to them is still huge.

At this point, the state owes to recyclers over 2.8 billion dinars for the pre-

vious years, according to the regulations and laws it has adopted. It seems that someone is playing games with a complete recycling industry, or someone does not understand its significance.

At the same time, in 2018, the state collected 11.5 billion dinars from ecological tax, which was paid into the state budget. None of this money went for green purposes.

Unfortunately, the projections regarding the recycling industry cannot be precisely defined. The Ministry of Environmental Protection suddenly announces the introduction of a deposit system which is not applicable in most European countries. One such decision can turn the whole industry upside down. So, what we have been building for years, step by step, can be shut down, and some new waste operators

IN SERBIA

or waste managers will emerge. Another important thing to mention is that the Ministry has devised this system without conducting a serious analysis first. On the other hand, there are analyses that show that the money spent on this system will exceed EUR 1 billion.

What are the biggest problems faced by recyclers and waste processors?

What is the solution to these problems?

— Currently, the biggest problem is the fact that there is no independent green fund. At present, 11-12 billion dinars are collected from ecological taxes and fees that are not spent on developing recycling.

The state plans to disburse only 2.19 billion dinars to the operators of hazardous waste annually, and everybody knows that much bigger funds are needed for this. At the same time, the Minister is posing for pictures digging up danger-

ous waste across Serbia, but he has no solution for the problem, nor has he set up a systemic framework to prevent this from happening again in the future. If we continue in this way and without the establishment of an independent green fund, the problem will not be resolved.

If the state would spend 11.5 billion dinars on the recycling industry, regulating landfills and building a waste management system, the results would be outstanding. At the same time, it is possible to increase these funds. According to professional estimates, more organized inspection services can generate additional 18-20 billion dinars for the green fund annually. Imagine if that money were properly targeted and if political scheming were not involved.

Imagine how much it could improve waste management in Serbia, but also

the overall state of the environment.

This is a solution that we all need to insist on - having a green fund, that is non-partisan and independent.

Close to 25% of the generated waste is not included in the elementary collection process

REFUNDS

LAST BREATH Refunds to recyclers are not paid in time and we are in a situation whereby the recycling industry is drawing its last breath.

In your opinion, what are the biggest environmental problems in Belgrade?

— Definitely wastewater and air quality.

The waste is not so much of a problem.

Last year, the city of Belgrade gave the concession for a landfill, although I do not think that the most rational solution was chosen. I also think that it will be very costly and that it will exceed the allocated budget. Regarding wastewater, Belgrade has the same problem as the rest of Serbia. In Belgrade, according to some estimates, one-third of households are not connected to the sewage, and investments in wastewater treatment are very expensive. And again, we have to foot the bill. The general problem is irrational energy consumption, and a large number of polluters make Belgrade one of the most polluted European capitals.

Belgrade has enough green areas, but the problem is their uneven distribution.

There are Belgrade’s suburbs that are well afforested, and, at the same time, there are quite a few streets that have no trees whatsoever.

How important is Chapter 27 for your sector which is expected to be opened in the coming years?

— ASWA gathers a large number of utility companies dealing with waste management. We communicate with them on a daily basis, and we have noticed that they were excluded from the decision-making process concerning our sector. Even the line Ministry has excluded them from this process, in addition to local governments which are their founders. This is absurd! The state is making decisions in this very important area without the opinion of companies that operate in that segment. So, the expectations of our sector, as far as chapter 27 goes, are not that great.

We will try to involve the Association too, but we are absolutely sure that copying European laws and regulations without first carefully analyzing real capacities, both of companies and citizens, is not good. Another problem is that oftentimes people who are negotiating on behalf of the state and this very important sector don’t have elementary knowledge about this field.

Currently, the chief negotiator for chapter 27 is a man with no experience in environmental protection. I'm afraid this is far from good for our country.

3

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

THIS IS THE YEAR OF TWISTS AND TURNS The industry is not running away from the responsibility for the impact on the environment, but does not want to be held hostage to local "racketeering creatures" which encumber businesses with non-transparent parafiscal charges

iniša Mitrović is an environmental analyst and passionate naturalist dedicated to preserving the natural capital of Serbia and the Balkans. He is actively working in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) on the green growth of the Serbian industry, ecological European integration and the use of the best technologies for Serbia in the waste and wastewater management.

He is also one of the leading promoters of the circular economy doctrine, as a new tool of a competitive economy that is energy efficient and accountable to the local community.

S

Following the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the companies from this branch, the Serbian government has adopted the decree on the criteria for determining activities that affect the environment relative to the amount of pollution, by promoting the "pay as much as you pollute" model for the first time in Serbia. Can you explain this principle in more detail?

— First of all, I would like to touch upon the process of adopting the said

4

I N T E RV I E W

S I N I ŠA M I T ROV I Ć Head of Centre for Circular Economy at CCIS

TA X

GREEN MONEY The total amount of ‘green’ money that was collected from the environmental tax is around 11 billion dinars, while as of now, we are going to save over 2 billion dinars from the local environmental tax alone.

regulation for which there was a comprehensive consensus of the industry, business community through the American Chamber of Commerce, the Foreign Investors Council, the Beer Industry Association, the Cement Industry Association and, of course, the line Ministry for Environmental Protection and the Agency for Environmental Protection. Only through having an open dialogue, exchanging arguments, taking into the account the industry’s needs and testing the best solutions comes the content of a regulation that introduces the "pay as much as you pollute" principle in our country for the first time. The industry is not running away from the responsibility for the impact on the environment but does not want to be held hostage to local "racketeering creatures" which encumber businesses with non-transparent parafiscal charges. What will the "pay as much as you pollute" principle bring? Waste prevention, eco product design, use of recyclable materials, energy efficiency, zero waste and a circular economy package, i.e. manufacturing that takes responsibility for the environ-

ment and community and thus generates great savings for companies.

How much did businesses have to pay for environmental tax so far, and how much are they going to have to pay after the Decree is implemented?

— The total amount of ‘green’ money that was collected from the tax is around 11 billion dinars, while as of now, we are going to save over 2 billion dinars from the local environmental tax alone.

Someone might argue that the citizens stand to benefit nothing from that, only the industry does. My answer to that would be “it’s a win-win situation for everybody”. Local governments will still have money for green investments, but as of now, they will also have to bear the responsibility for how they spend this money. The citizens will be able to influence spending transparency and distribution of funds, the investors will have predictability in terms of knowing what they are paying and to whom and of course, the government will be able to plan long-term waste and wastewater investment projects because funds for large-scale infrastructure projects will have to be pooled.

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

You are the Head of the CCIS’ Centre for Circular Economy? How much is this economic concept implemented in our country?

— We are the first state in this part of Europe to start institutionally implementing circular economy (CE). We have CE departments in the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. Our Centre for Circular Economy provides a new business and transition doctrine and we have help from our partners in that – the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the OSCE, the UNDP, the Delegation of the European Union in Belgrade, the CLIMATE KIC Foundation and others. Switching from linear to circular economy is demanding, expensive and time-consuming, but there is no alternative. If you do not implement it, you will remain a lowbudget economy; vulnerable and uncompetitive to the challenges of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. There are benefits from implementing a circular economy package in the small business sector, which saves resources, energy and water, while waste is recycled to be reused in production. Our biggest task at the Chamber at the moment is creating an industrial symbiosis platform in Serbia. This means that waste from the biggest waste-generation companies is used as a raw material in small companies and craft shops, i.e. waste creates a new value.

Businesses are cited as the biggest pollutants in Serbia. Do you share this view?

— I would disagree with that claim.

Every citizen generates about one kilogramme of waste per day, while the growing consumerism and higher living standard lead to a 6% increase in the amount of generated waste, especially when it comes to electrical and electronic products, textile, food and pharmaceutical waste or home chemicals. The fastest transition to ecological and sustainable business we can see is happening in the industry. In order to remain competitive in the market and good for consumers, your end product or service needs to be more "green". The market forces you to do so. You cannot view industrial pollution only in light of environmental accidents. For us, at the Chamber, the most serious problem is inherited pollution and waste generated in bankrupt factories that are not only a threat to the security of the local population, but also to brownfield

IN SERBIA

investments. We need to build factories in existing locations and preserve resources like agricultural land. That is why it is necessary to clean Serbia from inherited waste. This is a process that will last and cost us money until 2030.

The Chamber of Commerce of Serbia proposes allocating up to 500 million dinars from the state budget to carry out this cleansing process. However, the benefits are priceless.

Who are the biggest waste generators in Serbia?

— Definitely it is the energy and mining sector that generates the biggest amount of waste which is the most demanding in terms of disposal. Then come the construction and agricultural sector (hazardous pesticide packaging and food waste). I still stand by my words that citizens are the biggest generators of waste thanks to their bad habits.

Switching from linear to circular economy is demanding, expensive and time-consuming, but there is no alternative

Experts have estimated that due to poor organization and the lack of application of modern waste management technologies, Serbia throws away over 50 million euro worth of raw materials per year. Do businesses even recognize this potential?

— This is exactly what the new economy/recycling industry is all about since it has the biggest potential for the creation of new green jobs, the inclusion of informal groups and fighting against poverty. Serbia needs primary waste selection in the place where waste is generated – that is households. We also need a waste deposit tax, a recycling industry at a higher technological level and a transparent system for co-financing

the recycling industry.

Does Serbia have sufficient capacity to handle hazardous waste? How much of this waste is deposited in our country?

— This year is going to be the year of twists and turns when we are going to have to face the possibility of the industrial waste management costs growing over 100% relative to the previous year. Also, there is a lack of appropriate infrastructure. I can foresee that we are going to jeopardize every new foreign or domestic investment because we do not have a hazardous waste infrastructure. In today’s Serbia, energy facilities that use waste as fuel are still considered a distant future, while hazardous waste incinerators are viewed as "a threat and ideological toy". After 2020, we are going to have to dispose of our hazardous waste “in our own back yard”, figuratively speaking. We will not be allowed to dispose our waste in other countries because the European capacities are full to the brim since waste cannot be treated in China. In addition, we have over 300,000 tonnes of inherited waste and generate about 80,000 tonnes of industrial waste annually. I don’t think that ordinary people can even recognize industrial waste. Also, lobby groups are very adamant to portray hazardous waste as “the big bad wolf” although it makes only 3%-4% of the total generated waste. The conclusion is that there is no future industrialization without a waste infrastructure in place. If we do not solve this immediately, we will pay a high price for vulnerability to climate change and the health of the population.

5

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR WASTE RECYCLING While Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s principal directives on waste management is good, improvements in implementation are needed

nos Balkan is one of the leading metal recycling companies in Serbia, processing and trading ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals, since 1951. It also offers a wide range of integrated waste management services.

I

At the beginning of 2018 you have said that this year was a milestone year for Inos Balkan. If you look back today, what did you achieve and where are you heading today?

— Last year was indeed a milestone year for Inos Balkan. After resolving the issue with the non-tariff burdens on the export of secondary raw material, we were able to focus again on the implementation of our strategic planning for enhancing our commercial activities quantity wise and geographically wise and for improving our logistics efficiency. In addition we are preparing a set of investments in the field of waste processing and thus we have already increased our capital share by € 5,9 mil.

Would you say that the legislation governing the environmental protection is Serbia is going into right direction?

— Chapter 27 of EU integration process will create new business opportunities for our sector. We do expect that the ap-

6

plication of the polluter pays principle, will significantly alter the competitive landscape on our sector and particularly in the management of the so called special streams of waste, like End of Life Vehicles (ELVs) and Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The European acquis comprises values and principles that will allow the creation of a levelled playfield and subsequently free trade conditions will attract the necessary investments.

In addition, water and air quality, municipality waste management, industrial pollution control and risk management, and noise prevention will be addressed and will potentially change the operating practices in the recycling sector as well as in the sector of industrial metallurgy.

In comparison to other markets you are operating in, where Serbia stands in exercising its capacities when it comes to waste recycling?

— There is significant potential for waste recycling, as Serbia recycles less than 3 % of its total waste (vs. around 40 % in the EU). While Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s principal directives on waste management is good, improvements in implementation are needed, with operation and performance of recycling firms

C O R P O R AT E

I O S I F VA N G E L ATO S General Manager at Inos Balkan

We are preparing a set of investments in the field of waste processing and thus we have already increased our capital share by € 5,9 mil

negatively affected by unpredictable public financing. In addition relative Chapter 27 on the EU accession process is not expected to be opened before 2020 and is expected to be the last to be closed.

Among the Balkan countries, the worst results in 2017 were achieved by Bosnia and Herzegovina, which recycled no municipal waste, while Romania 13%, Croatia 21%, Cyprus 17%, Greece 17% and Bulgaria 32%. Slovenia took the first place with 58% of municipal waste recycled.

How much the market has changed in the last five years? Did reforms in the economy bring higher environmental protection standards and capacities?

— The decision of the Serbian government to establish an independent Ministry of Environmental protection was a key factor. All the stakeholders (public sector institutions, private sector organizations, as well as citizens of Serbia) are now in position to identify the size of the problem when it comes to environmental protection in general and waste management in particular.

The size of the necessary investments is enormous and the ministry of Environmental protection of Serbia has undertaken the mission to provide with the adequate environmental policy plan.

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

The reforms that took place in the Economy of Serbia the last 5 years, are preparing the business environment that will host the necessary investments in the field of environmental management, while the opening of Chapter 27 of the EU integration process will further enhance the environmental standards.

Recycling is often connected with intensive manual work but you employee highly qualified staff too. In today’s era of digital solutions, what kind of skills are you looking for? — Secondary raw material sector is driven by free market conditions, metal prices fluctuation and by a changing legal framework that we have to comply with.

This is the reason why we employee in our company a team of people highly qualified in finance, engineering, environmental management and sales. A team of people that allow us the face all day to day challenges as well as to adequate plan our future steps.

Further to the technical skills we are paying special attention on the soft skills of our employees. We are enthusiastic with what we do and we want our employees to share the same enthusi-

asm. Do not forget that our core corporate principles are responsibility, integrity, efficiency, innovation and professionalism.

Apart from digitalisation, what are the factors which will contribute the most to the scope of your work in Serbia? — When accessing the business environment in Serbia, we do identify the

following factors as key contributing at our scope: Political and social stability, Macro economically sustainable and inclusive economic growth, Banking sector performance, Measures in order to reverse brain drain and aging of the population in Serbia, Privatization / restructuring of SOE (State owned enterprises), Chapter 27 of the EU integration process.

7

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

BENEFITS OF THE DEPOSIT SYSTEM The development of utility services and cooperation with recyclers will be the basic driving force behind solving the huge problem that Serbia is facing

here is no more denying it – the world is going through a plastic waste crisis and this crisis is growing exponentially, as is the public awareness and campaigns to counteract the crisis.

In June 2018, as part of their ‘Planet or Plastic?’ initiative, National Geographic magazine dedicated an entire issue to the problem of plastic waste. Since then, the problem of discarded plastic has received more attention from the media, the public and politicians than ever before. Furthermore, some of the most developed economies in the world are considering implementing a strategy pertaining to the use of a deposit

T

8

system, with the Indian state of Maharashtra already starting using this system. The implementation of the deposit system was also supported by the G20 leaders at a recent meeting in Hamburg, as well as the European EPA network and UN Environment.

On May 28th, the European Commission revealed the draft of the Disposable Plastic Directive which, among other things, stipulates the goal of making 90% of the plastic beverage packaging recyclable by the year 2025 through introducing the deposit system or the product management system, as it is also called.

Decision makers believe that such

7 t h A S WA CON F E R E NC E

Seven EU countries have already introduced the deposit system

strategies can significantly contribute to waste reduction and help achieve ambitious targets for reuse and recycling, while reducing sea and ocean pollution.

This has already been demonstrated in the countries where the deposit system was introduced - Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

The topic of the deposit system and its use in Serbia was discussed at the 7th conference of the National Association of Cleanliness of Serbia – ASWA which took place in Zlatibor in April.

The conference gathered a number of experts from this field. Mr. Goran Čabradi, Chairman of ASWA’s Board of Directors,

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

Robert Čoban

IN SERBIA

H.E. Subrata Bhattacharjee

INFO

DETAILED ANALYSIS The introduction of deposit systems and adoption of laws announced by the Ministry of Environmental Protection should not be carried out without deep and detailed analysis, the conference participants underlined.

Goran Čabradi

and Mr. Dragoslav Pavlović, Chairman of the Association’s Assembly gave keynote speeches and welcome the participants on behalf of the National Association of Cleanliness of Serbia, while underlining the importance of informing the utility service organizations about the effects of potential application of the deposit system in Serbia.

The final conclusion of the conference participants was that it was necessary for everybody to work on raising the awareness of the Serbian citizens as much as possible about the importance of resolving the ever-present problem of waste disposal, both in Serbia and in the region. The development of utility services and cooperation with recyclers will be the basic driving force behind solving the huge problem that Serbia is facing.

The introduction of deposit systems and adoption of laws announced by the Ministry of Environmental Protection should not be carried out without deep and detailed analysis, while respecting the opinions of utility service companies, the conference participants underlined.

European practices Marija Živanović, the director of Ecogate from Novi Sad, spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of the deposit system from the viewpoint of European practices.

She explained that the deposit system can increase the quantity of collected packaging waste by up to 90% while contributing to the reduction of the quantity of waste disposed of in the natural environment. According to her, only seven countries have introduced a deposit system, with Croatia being

the only regional country to do so and which has faced many challenges with the functioning of the deposit system since then. Živanović says that the existing system of extended producer responsibility gave good results only in 2016 when the national operators and their partners collected and sent for recycling more than 155,753 tonnes of packaging thus exceeding the goal prescribed by Serbia.

"The deposit system is not an adequate solution for the improvement of the existing waste collection and recycling system, because it requires an investment of around 90 million euro and annual spending of over 130 million euro. That cost would be borne by the businesses and the majority of people in Serbia. At the same time, the deposit system

Goran Gogić

9

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

Dragoslav Pavlović

solves the problem of only about 15% of the total waste, while the maintenance costs of this system would increase by more than 200 times compared to the existing EPR system, "explains Živanović.

She adds that the existing system in Serbia requires additional investments and increase of the waste disposal fee, while at the same time, it is necessary to bolster the systems for the implementation, collection and recycling of packaging waste at the local level.

"The cost of improving the existing system, projected at around 200 million euro over the next 10 years, would require the collection and recycling of about 64% of packaging waste, and the current EU target is 65%,” she says, adding: "A possible introduction of alternative systems, such as the system of multi-material deposits significantly raises the costs for the same period of time, to about 1.1 billion euro. Eventually, the introduction of such a system would result in about 75% of the collected packaging waste.“

Mirjana Radivojčević

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEPOSIT SYSTEM IN CROATIA Zvonimir Majić, Advisor to the Director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU) in Croatia, presented the system of deposit fees in Croatia at the conference.

The network of deposit fees in Croatia consists of 33,000 places for the collection of returnable packaging (contracted shops), 2,929 contracted collectors, 21 contracted warehouses for packaging waste, and 5 recycling companies.

According to Majić, the revenue generated from this in 2018, stood at 226 million euro.

"By applying the" polluter pays "principle, funding is secured for programmes, projects and other activities in environmental and nature protection, energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy sources (OIE), “ Majić explains.

“The collection of the fee calculated in line with the stipulations from three different laws means that the Fund will generate revenue from collecting 22 fees. Up until now, the Fund collected

WA S T E

90% INCREASE The deposit system can increase the quantity of collected packaging waste by up to 90% while contributing to the reduction of the quantity of waste disposed of in the natural environment.

INDIA’S EXPERIENCES – PLASTIC ROADS The Ambassador of the Republic of India to Serbia, H.E. Subrata Bhattacharjee talked about India’s experiences in this matter. In his speech, the Ambassador pointed out that incineration of waste releases harmful gases into the atmosphere and that plastic remains have negatively affected at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all kinds of sea turtles, 44% of all sea birds and 43% of all sea mammals.

“If you manage to reuse a plastic cup, good for you, but if you manage to recycle it, it’s even better. Our system is better than that since it is based on melting the plastics which is then used to produce coatings for stone blocks used for building roads, " explained the Ambassador of the Republic of India to Serbia, H.E. Subrata Bhattacharjee.

As he explained, this creates a better adhesive bond between stone blocks but uses less bitumen, plus it boosts water resistance. Thanks to this, the use of bitumen has been reduced by about 8% (cost saving).

The Ambassador added that “plastic roads” were being built more and more, and that so far, over 3,400km of such roads had been built in India.

10

money from 17 fees, while there are no laws regulating the other 5 fees (such as landfill tax). The taxpayer pays taxes based on the document issued by the Fund”, Majić adds.

The Croatian Association of Utility Companies comprises about 170 companies involved in the collection of municipal waste in Croatia. These companies employ a total of over 10,000 people, and they are not only engaged in cleanliness activities but in other utility activities too. They are cooperating with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy.

A representative of one of these companies, Davor Vić, Director of Unico Osijek, talked about the problems and challenges associated with establishing a waste management system.

AWARDS After the lecture, the annual ASWA Awards were given out for the first time.

JKP Bioktoš from Užice was one of the recipients for their special contribution to the improvement of the waste management system in the Republic of Serbia. MNG Plastik Gogić doo from Indjija received the award for the achieved results on the introduction of new technologies, modernization of municipal waste management activities and improvement of waste treatment in the Republic of Serbia. Special thanks for contributing to the Association’s activities, building its reputation and position, and for professional, material and any other assistance for the development of ASWA Association were given to Bratislav Vučković, a member of the Steering Board and one of the founders of the Association.

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

NOVA OPREMA FOR ALL TIMES A wide product range includes various machines and multipurpose service attachments

he Nova Oprema Company from Novi Sad is engaged in import, sale and servicing of utility machines and spare parts of renowned European manufacturers.

Nova Oprema offers a wide range of products, including various machines and multi-purpose service attachments for all seasons. The company's service department provides spare parts in the warranty and out-of-warranty period, thus meeting all the requirements of the most demanding customers.

Among other things, Nova Oprema also offers MC 130 and ISAL 6000 machines.

T

MC 130 MC 130 is a multi-purpose machine, in the up to 3.5-tonne-class, and in this category, is the only two-seater machine of this purpose in the market. The comfortable cabin for 2 people offers a perfect panoramic view and provides pleasant working conditions throughout the year. The unique steering wheel design with integrated multifunctional display

allows constant monitoring of real-time operating parameters. Monitoring of the operations can also be done using the camera placed on the lower and back part of the machine, which transfers the image to the central display. You can easily and individually control the working segments thanks to MC 130's ergonomic armrests. MC 130's dimensions allow for easy operation both on and off road, especially in pedestrian zones, while the central joint ensures a very small rotation radius. The hydraulic installation enables four-wheeldrive hydrostatic operation, as well as the functioning of many service attachments in all seasons.

C O R P O R AT E

The company's service department provides spare parts in the warranty and out-of-warranty period

ple space, the cabin also has a display through which the operator can monitor all operating parameters. The cabin can take three people providing it is air-conditioned. Work can be monitored with the use of cameras that can be requested optionally.

INFO: Bulevar vojvode Stepe 5 21000 Novi Sad 021 661 6650 info@ novaoprema.rs www. novaoprema.rs

ISAL 6000 ISAL 6000 is a mechanical cleaner for use in urban and industrial areas. With the cleaning width of up to 3,600mm and the 6-cubic-meter waste bin, the ISAL 6000 ensures a high degree of utilization, while a cozy cabin provides pleasant work conditions in all seasons. In addition to having am-

11

WA S T E M A N A G E M E N T

IN SERBIA

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SERBIA The current situation at local governments is characterized by unreliable and incomplete data on quantities of generated municipal waste

erbia has handed the second draft negotiating position for chapter 27 to the European Commission, and the authorities expect the opening of the chapter, which deals with the environment, to be possible by the end of 2019. From the moment of accession (the assumption is this would happen in 2025), Serbia is proposing an 11-year transitional period to meet standards for the waste sector.

According to the text of the Waste Management Strategy 2010-2019, the current situation at local governments in Serbia is characterized by unreliable and incomplete data on quantities of generated municipal waste.

The Fiscal Council, too, agrees that municipal waste reporting in Serbia is unreliable, and believes the reason for this lies in the fact that for years a large number of local governments have failed to submit requested data to SEPA. According to the international methodology rec-

S

12

ognized by Eurostat, missing data is compensated with estimates, but this diminishes reliability, the Fiscal Council wrote in a report called Investments in Environmental Protection: A Social and Fiscal Priority.

In the report, published in June 2018, the Fiscal Council called for significantly increasing investments in environmental protection in Serbia, already through the 2019 budget, noting that Serbia is among the most polluted countries in Europe, which is harming the health of the population and hampering economic growth.

According to a report by the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) on waste management in the 2011-2017 period, a total of 2.15 million metric tons of waste was generated, of which 1.80 million metric tons, or 83.7%, was collected by municipal public utilities. The median daily amount of municipal waste landfilled per capita was 0.84 kg, and the annual figure was 0.30 metric tons.

This does not include some 20% of generated municipal waste which ends up in illegal dump sites.

The EU’s medium-term goals, which Serbia should also strive for, are to recycle 50% of municipal waste by 2020 and 65% by 2035, as well as to landfill under 10% of municipal waste by 2035.

The percentage of municipal waste recycled in Serbia in 2016 officially stood at about 3% Serbia, alongside Poland and Romania, is at the bottom of the list of European countries by the amount of municipal waste generated per capita, Eurostat’s data shows, according to a recent report by Euractiv.

The average amount of municipal waste per capita generated in the EU in 2017 was 487 kg, a slight increase from 486 kg a year earlier. The amount of waste per capita varies from country to country, and Serbia is near the bottom of the list, with 306 kg.In the EU, out of the average 487 kg of generated waste, 480

kg is treated in some way – in 2017, an average of 30% of waste was recycled, 17% composted, 28% incinerated, most of which was used for energy recovery, and 24% of municipal waste was landfilled.

In Serbia, only 257 kg out of 306 kg of waste per capita generated in 2017 was treated, of which as much as 256 kg ended up in landfills and 1 kg was used for obtaining secondary raw materials.

The situation is better when it comes to packaging waste. According to the Fiscal Council, the current packaging waste recycling rate is estimated at about 35-40%, which is still much lower than the rates seen in comparable countries, and particularly compared with the standards the EU is striving for (65% in all members states by 2025) or those in countries such as Lithuania, where the packaging waste collection rate reached as much as 92% already in the second year of the operation of a deposit-refund system.