Ljubljana waste incinerator plan sparks health and environmental controversy

The Ljubljana municipal council has been debating a €430 million waste‑to‑energy incinerator to handle mixed municipal waste in the city and Maribor. Proponents, led by technical director Dr. Marko Agrež, argue the plant would secure one‑third of the fuel needed for the district‑heating system and replace over 100 000 tonnes of coal annually.

Opponents – civil‑environmental groups and health professionals – warn that the incinerator would release toxic pollutants, increase nitrogen‑oxide, particulate and ozone levels, and threaten groundwater. Dr. Zvonka Rener‑Primec stressed that fine particles penetrate lungs and can affect fetal development. Ljubljana already ranks among the 7 % most polluted European cities, with estimates that air pollution causes 300‑500 premature deaths each year. Critics also note the lack of any health or environmental impact analysis and warn the 30‑year concession could lock the city into an expensive, waste‑dependent energy system, undermining recycling goals. The initiative calls for alternatives such as heat pumps and expanded renewable sources instead of incineration.